Stay With Me
by Chasing Midnight
Summary: Jade can't live without Beck. She writes a play to try and get him back. It is the perfect chance to get Cat and Robbie together. But it's never straight forward, love isn't planned. With secrets flying out of dark places and shootings, kidnappings and now this... Bad things begin and won't stop, not even now. What will happen? Cabbie and Bade. Please, please Read and Review!
1. The Big Idea

Chapter One.

"Hey, Vega."

Tori groaned knowing full well who it was; she slammed her locker door shut. "Hey, Jade."

"I need a favour," She sighed. "I wouldn't ask normally but I kind of need help to put on this play."

"You wrote another? Good for you Jade!" Tori went to hug her.

"Don't get close to me," She barked.

Tori held her hands up. "Sorry?"

"So yeah, I wrote you all a part. I wanted everyone to be involved…" She trailed off.

"Aw, Jade's going soft."

"Shut it Vega or bad things will happen to that doll of yours. I only have to put you in because of Sikowitz."

"Sorry… again," Tori said quickly. "So when can we read through it?"

"Well, Cat is coming over to yours tonight, right?"

"No?" Tori shook her head with a confused frown.

"Oh, well we are now. See you at six," Jade waved sarcastically as she walked away.

Tori sighed; yet again she was being told what to do by Jade. She didn't mind too much instead she just hoped that Trina was out for her own sake. Jade didn't like her much, well, did Jade really like anyone?

She walked to lunch, seeing the usual gathering after she'd grabbed some pizza.

"Hey Tori, how much are you excited for Jade's play?" André laughed as he played small keyboard in front of him. "I'm in charge of playing the music apparently. She kindly came up and asked me earlier after throwing my sandwich in the bin."

Beck shook his head. "Lovely girl, she is."

Cat skipped over with Robbie following her. No Rex.

"Hey little Red, hey Robbie, where's Rex?" André asked, tapping the keys to make a cheery song.

"Jade kidnapped him until I agree to be in her play."

André played a dark tune, and if the group weren't mistaken; it was the Imperial March from Star Wars.

"It's not funny, she's shoved him in her locker and there's no way I'm going near it. She's probably got alarm systems and lasers in there," Robbie kicked the ground, scrapping his trainer.

"She's not that bad, her locker isn't booby trapped. Just looks it," Beck admitted as he swirled his orange juice around the bottle. "Inside is a whole other story."

"Enjoying spilling my secrets, Beck?" Jade scowled behind him. "Why don't you back to Canada?"

"What a lovely surprise, the sound of Hell erupting itself," Beck smiled to the rest of the group, not even bothering to face her.

"Can't we be civil this lunch?" Robbie begged as he sat on the bench.

"Yeah, all you guys do is argue, why can't you just get along like salt and pepper?" Cat piped up from her usual spot between Robbie and Beck.

"Salt likes to make cuts sting instead of letting them heal," Beck sighed. 'Salt' was obviously Jade, she didn't like to let go of the past.

"But Pepper makes you sneeze and some people just find it too much to swallow," Jade replied with her arms crossed firing back at Beck, he was Pepper.

Why were they referring to each other in terms of salt and pepper?

Everyone sat in silence.

"I like Pepper, it's hot," Cat giggled, not quite realising the use of the word. Robbie leant over and whispered in her ear, explaining what was happening. "Oh. Sorry. I'm still right though, just saying."

Beck laughed and shook his head. "Thanks Cat."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" She said in her usual high tone.

Jade glared at her. "Hey Cat, there's a giraffe in the hallway asking if you'll go play mini golf with him, he wants Robbie to play too."

Cat sprang up. "Yay! Come on Robbie!"

Robbie groaned as Cat dragged him away, running towards the school building.

"Why did you do that?" Tori threw her hand up after them.

"I have my reasons," Jade sat where Robbie had been two minutes before. "So, this plan you have, what is it?"

"We need to get them together," Tori said.

Jade produced a nail file and began doing her nails. "I've just done that, it wasn't very difficult. You're welcome."

"Properly together, Jade," André replied.

"So we thought we could use your play as a kind of decoy…" Tori suggested but Jade cut her off.

"No way. You are not using my play to get Little Mer-mad and Geek Charming together, are we clear on that?" Jade spat.

"But Jade! They'll be so happy together!" Tori paused. "And nice play on words."

"Thanks, I do them myself," She smiled sarcastically. "My play is not a match-making service. It has other purposes."

"Fine," Tori sighed, only backing down because Robbie and Cat were back. "So when do we get the scripts?"

"Later when I come over, you boys have yours already but I swear if any of you open them before 6pm tonight, I will take your lungs out and use them as cushions for my new bed. Everyone understand?" She smiled again.

André, Robbie and Beck nodded, all of them equally scared.

"Jade, you lied. There was no giraffe!" Cat cried in a shrill squeal.

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner," Jade said in her monotone voice.

Cat grinned suddenly. "What do I win?"

Jade turned around and began walking away. "Nothing, Cat, nothing at all."

Cat waited until she knew Jade was definitely wasn't coming back and wasn't going to hear her.

"Why is Jade so mean to me?" Cat spoke in a sad tone.

"Don't worry, Kitten, she's mean to everyone," Beck sighed as he pulled Cat into a hug.

If only they knew Jade was still watching from the stairs to the front doors trying to hide her teary eyes.


	2. How It's Going To Be

Chapter 2.

Cat was running late, the phone call had mentioned her brother and a problem with bowling. Jade had turned up and went straight to the fridge-freezer, grabbing some ice cream and a spoon from the draw. Now she sat eating the ice cream on the sofa.

"Why won't you let us get Cat and Robbie get together using the play?" Tori asked as she landed on the sofa.

"I don't want to."

"Why not? It's obvious they like each other."

Jade sighed. "Drop it, Tori."

"Not until you tell me why."

"I don't want to tell you why. Can't we just leave it?" Jade pleaded. She never did this; pleading was a sign of weakness in Jade's eyes.

Tori remained silent for a while. "Want to talk about it?"

"No," Jade said. "I just have other plans of how I'm using this play."

Tori opened her mouth to argue just as Cat opened the door.

"Sorry I'm late. My brother got stuck in the thing that brings your bowling ball back so I had to call the dentist…"

"Why did you call the dentist?" Jade looked confused.

"He said he had tooth ache…" Cat's eyes were really wide.

Jade cut her off. "Why were you hugging my boyfr…Beck?"

"He hugged me when you were mean," She replied as innocently as they get.

"You shouldn't have."

Tori crossed her arms. "Come off it Jade, Cat and Beck have been best friends since Kindergarten. You didn't even do this when they kissed."

"That was for a film," Jade said, not breaking eye contact with Cat.

"Jade, you still love Beck, don't you?" Cat stated staring at her blankly.

Jade threw the ice cream tub to the floor, still holding the spoon. "To hell I do. He's annoying, whiny, he doesn't love me, and he always gets other girls staring at him and… and… Can we just read the script?"

Cat and Tori sat down instantly. Jade passed them two scripts. They'd both assumed it was another horror or probably a tragedy but by the title, it didn't seem that way.

"It's called Stay With Me. It's not my usual kind of writing, but I wanted to try something new."

"So who do I play?" Cat asked in her happy way.

Jade paused and reached for the lipstick on the table, crossing out things on her paper. "Ignore what this says; you're playing Rose, not Tori. You two will swap characters."

"Why?" Cat said. "Is it because roses are red like my hair?"

Jade sighed. "No."

"Oh."

"That means I'll be playing…" Tori scanned the cast list. "Lucy, right?"

"Yup," Jade nodded.

"Care to tell us about the characters?" Tori prompted.

"Will do in a second, but where's Trina?" Jade raised her eyebrow.

"I mentioned you were coming and she decided to spend the week at her friend's…"

"Good. She's not in the play anyway, so she does have a couple of brain cells to avoid me," Jade applauded. "Now I'm going home. We'll talk about this tomorrow when we can have a whole cast meeting."

Jade walked up to the door and opened it to leave. Cat giggled.

"What is so funny you freakishly weird red head?" Jade shouted.

"I was just thinking, this play is full of coincidences. Like yours and Beck's characters fall in love!"

Jade took a sharp breath in then slammed the door. "Fine, I admit it. I want Beck back and I thought if I could make him fall in love with me again, I would have a shot at it."

Tori staggered back. "Wow."

Jade started crying, waving her arms as she spoke. "I love him so much it hurts. I can't be around him without wanting to wrap myself in his arms again and then the word would be okay again."

"Oh Jade, why didn't you just say instead of ripping into each other?"

"Because he probably doesn't love me anymore, he's probably over me. If he did, I would be amazed."

"It's true…" Cat began.

"What's true?" Jade wiped her eyes.

"He does give good hugs," Cat grinned; Jade shot her a warning look. "Oh. And he misses you."

Jade opened her mouth in surprise. "How do you know?"

"He hugs me frequently; he's my best friend…" Cat said confused.

"No, not that, Cat. How do you know he misses me?"

Cat sank into deep thought. "He told me, he tells me every night on the phone that he misses you."

"Why didn't you say sooner? I'd have written this play months ago if you'd have told me," Jade placed her hands on her cheeks to prevent more tears.

"He made me promise not to say anything, he thought you hated him," Cat frowned.

"Cat, do you mind going to see Beck a little earlier than you'd planned?" Tori asked.

"Not at all, I'll go now!" The red head volunteered, she picked up the script and ran towards the door. "Bye guys!"

"Bye Cat," They replied in unison then the door shut.

"So why did you swap the characters around?" Tori enquired before Jade left.

"Robbie plays Rose's boyfriend and they have some kissing scenes in there. They have some scenes alone so they'll have to meet up and rehearse."

"So why did you cast me as Rose then?!" Tori said out of panic.

"I thought it would be funny but since you're helping me out, I'll help you out."

Tori sighed with relief. "Thanks Jade, I owe you one."

"Oh you owe me more than that, Vega, you owe me Beck."


	3. Arguing Is The Way Forward

Chapter 3.

"So, as I have nothing to teach you, I'm allowing you to perform Jade's play," Sikowitz announced. "I know some of you aren't featuring in the play so you'll be doing tech crew and design department. Basically do as Miss West tells you and we'll be all fine and dandy."

Sikowitz stepped down and went to take a seat at the back of the theatre. Everyone turned to Jade and waited for instruction. She climbed onto the stage, everyone's eyes still on her, and opened her mouth to speak, her hand hovering over the script in her hand.

"Oh, Jade? Where's the coconuts you promised me?" Sikowitz interrupted.

Jade rolled her eyes. "In the boot of your car, go look."

Sikowitz jumped up like an excited child and ran out, still bare foot.

"SO, my play. It's called Stay with Me for those of you unable to locate the title, which is probably most of you. Or those secretly born in Canada and have magically found themselves here in L.A."

"Have you still not dropped that?" Beck called out in disbelief.

"Are you still here?" Jade smiled falsely back. "Anyway, I asked you all to refrain from reading it anything other than the cast list until I had a chance to explain."

"More like demanded," Rex piped up. Jade had given him back after his 'puppet-napping' ordeal when Robbie agreed to be in the play.

"Shut it, sock puppet," Jade snapped back then returned to the script. "Well, it's about a young girl called Katie and she gets hit by a car at the end."

"Of course they'd be death somewhere," Rex muttered. Robbie covered his mouth in fear of Jade taking him again.

"The play centres on her and her friends, the lead up to it and generally what happens," She explained. "Now the casting is as follows, I changed a few things last night."

She cleared her throat and began to read from her script. "Tori will be playing Lucy, a friend of Katie and Rose. She's very upset about Katie and Rose having someone else in their lives but she has no one to turn to other than the audience who she considers to be flowers in the garden."

Tori tilted her head from side to side, considering the part; she could see why it was originally Cat's part. "Oh, okay. I like new challenges."

"Cat will be playing Rose, Katie's oldest friend. Rose is dating Logan who she loves and he is her rock throughout. She is very open minded and always wants to see her friends happy; she is very protective of Katie."

"I like her! So who is Logan?" Cat giggled. "I like stage kissing; can I have a lot of that, Jadey?"

Jade smiled smugly, knowing she'd already wrote a lot in. "Of course you can, Cat. Anything my little red head wants."

"Yay!" Cat exclaimed loudly.

"I will be playing Katie, I never get to play my own main character. She is still in love with her ex but she's unsure of what to do."

"What about the boys?" André asked after Tori frowned at the script.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about the boys. Erm, you'll be in charge of music, I want live music Harris, not computer, comprendé?"

He saluted from his seat. "Yes Ma'am."

"Robbie you shall be playing Logan and Beck will be playing Aaron," Jade pulled her script away from her eyes. "All right, now, everyone else who isn't involved, go find costumes and other stuff."

The remainder of the class got up and walked out silently.

"Who's Aaron?" Beck said as Jade stepped down from the stage.

Jade sighed. "Sikowitz told me I had to make you male lead."

"Then why can't you make Tori or Cat the main girl?" Beck argued, waving his script around.

"No. I want to lead my own play for once. Sue me."

Beck shook his head. "I will not play your boyfriend."

"I don't think anyone else is arguing over their part so why the heck are you?" She yelled back.

Beck reeled off. "I don't want to play a part and have to rehearse with you. I don't want to have to spend hours at your side. I don't want to be stuck here with you."

Jade opened her mouth to say her usual 'oh' but it didn't come out. Her eyes glazed over and her face drained of colour. "Well thank you for expressing your opinion on the matter."

She walked out of the room at a brisk pace. Tori nodded at Cat then chased after Jade, calling her name. André and Robbie followed, claiming they needed to work on music and acting points.

"That was mean, Beck," Cat said as she tapped her fingers against the purple giraffe in her clutches. "You hurt Jadey's feelings."

"She needed to hear it, I need to prove I'm over her as much as she is over me."

Cat sighed. "Why are you boys all so stupid?"

Beck frowned, sitting back down next to Cat. "What do you mean?"

"You're all so silly; you can't see what's right in front of you."

"Cat? What are you talking about?"

"Do you think Giraffes ever talk about humans and putting us in zoos?" Cat wondered out loud.

"Cat, answer me! What can't I see?" Beck tried to remain serious.

"I don't know… have you got your eyes shut?" She replied. "Maybe that's why you can't see!"

Beck laughed knowing that the smart outburst Cat had just had wouldn't be retrieved.

Cat smiled at him, placing a hand on his knee. "Beck, if I could tell you, I would but I'm not allowed, I pinky promised."

"Oh, I'm glad you'd tell me if you could, Kitten."

"Just think, I'm sure you'll get it soon, Beck," She then kissed his cheek and proceeded to run out of the door.


	4. First Time For Everything

Chapter 4.

"No one else is arguing over which part they have, Beck," Jade said in her hostile tone. "So quit complaining already. Sikowitz made me give you lead. How many times do you want me to tell you?"

"Why didn't you ignore him? You usually do," He replied hoping that would challenge her to change her mind. Unlikely but he needed to try; he couldn't face being that close to her.

Jade laughed. "And risk my show being cut? Not a chance in hell, Oliver."

Beck rubbed his forehead. "Fine, I'll do it. But only if you're civil, Jade."

"Aren't I always?" She winked at him, flashing him the greatest smile she could conjure. She began to walk the short distance to the doors of the theatre. He caught her arm, lightning bolts shot up her arm.

"So when do we being rehearsing?"

"This lesson," She felt her heart skip several beats. "With everyone else."

"We'll have to rehearse alone, right?" He tried not to smile on the inside; unaware he still had this effect on her.

"Sadly. Your girlfriends will have to wait a little longer for you after school. I'm sure André will keep them company."

Beck rolled his eyes. "For the hundredth time, I do not have multiple girlfriends."

"Oh? So you left them hanging like you left me?" She snatched her arm back and walked through the theatre doors.

Everyone was waiting for instruction, Jade climbed the stage.

"Well, guys back stage, go do something useful," She barked.

Most of the class streamed out quickly. A group of geeks sat hunched over the tech desk.

"I thought I said go do something useful as in elsewhere."

Sinjin looked up, head of the geeks, he was spokesperson. "We were just…"

"Do I look like I give two flying monkeys about what you're doing?" Jade yelled.

"No…" He stared at her in fright.

"Well get lost then."

Sinjin held up his phone and opened his mouth to speak. He'd only got the phone in hope Cat or some female would call him.

Jade groaned. "And don't tell me you have GPS on your stupid Pear Phone because I really do not care."

The geeks grabbed their stuff and ran as fast as their little legs would carry them out of the theatre.

"Now," Jade smiled falsely. "We will start from the opening scene with Tori, Beck, Cat and Robbie. André, I want you to play Fix You by Cold Play quietly. Okay?"

She sprang off the stage and took a seat as everyone filtered into place.

André began playing softly on the piano.

"I can't believe it, my best friend is gone," Cat frowned at the imaginary grave. She read the directions from the script and hesitated for a minute. Jade didn't yell like she would any other time, she wanted to see what everyone saw in them. Cat wrapped her arms around Robbie lightly. He stood so still as if she would break with one false move.

"It'll be okay, Rose. I'm here," He said barely above a whisper.

Jade smiled briefly, she had to admit that they looked adorable however it stirred something within her. Ripping a void inside her chest where love should be. Her breath grew restricted and the world around her seemed to spin.

"Why her of all the people? Why?" Tori sobbed. Man, she could be convincing, Jade thought. "My sister, she was like my sister."

Tori sank to the floor, rocking as she sat.

"We have to be strong, it's what she would have wanted," Beck spoke like a king calming his hysterical subjects.

Cat span out of Robbie's arms, her face fierce. "You didn't feel the life slowly drain out of her, watch the light leave her eyes for the last time! How could you know what she wanted when you abandoned her, Aaron? You left her to die; you kept walking even when you heard her cries for help."

Beck glanced down to where Tori was, placing a grave there in his mind.

"I know, Rose. I was wrong to do it."

"Then why did you?" Robbie asked, again he wasn't sure how to take Cat's tiny waist in her arms. He slowly move his arms around her.

"Robbie! She isn't a monster, the move needs to look instinctive not like she's about to rip your arms off," Jade yelled. She needed them to flow together. Tori looked up and flashed Jade a quick smile of thanks. She had the urge to smile back.

"Sorry, can we go from Beck's line?" Robbie stuttered, Jade waved her hand for them to do it.

"I know, Rose. I was wrong to do it," Beck repeated.

"Then why did you?" Robbie said as he smoothly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"And end scene, well done. It was okay for a mark through," Jade remarked, she threw the script in her hand to the chair at the side of her. "I would like it if everyone learnt their lines before next lesson but I understand some of you struggle to keep focus like Caterina."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat recoiled in horror. Robbie laughed with everyone else and patted her shoulder.

"So I'll say aim to learn for next lesson but I advise you at least try to or I'll out for your head," Jade smiled bitterly. "See you all later at Nozu."

Everyone agreed, nodding and collecting their things.

"Oh, Cat?" Robbie said in a small voice as everyone went out of the door.

"Yes?" She replied, hanging back.

"Cat, come on. I'd like to get home before graduation," Jade called from the door way. She leaned against the frame, rolling her hair between her fingers.

"Do you want to stay and rehearse? I'll drive you home to do whatever and take you to meet everyone," Robbie offered fearing Jade watching. If Cat refused, she would dig into him for months.

"Erm," Cat began, she looked over to Jade.

She cut into her thinking. "Go ahead, I'm capable of driving home alone, but make sure it looks believable. Have fun kids."

"What?" Cat asked confused.

"You're playing a couple, Rose and Logan. They've been together years, therefore comfortable in their relationship. They are so in love but every day they fall in love all over again."

Robbie and Cat stood slowly realising all they had to do was be themselves. But they didn't think the other one was going to be doing the same, Robbie just thought Cat would be acting and vice versa.

"I see, we'll work on it, won't we?" Robbie said to Cat, she nodded in response then turned to say something to Jade but she'd already gone.

Walking down the corridor, Jade realised she had hit a nerve with herself, that's how she felt with Beck. Every day she found a new reason to admire him, to cherish him, to love him even more.

She pushed through the front doors.

She wasn't prepared for what sight met her watery eyes.

"We need to talk."

"Is that talk or 'talk'?" She asked quietly.

"Depends on what news you have."


	5. Robbie And Cat Drive Home

Chapter five.

"Rose, I think we need to talk," Robbie frowned; he stared at Cat on the other side of the stage. He prayed Jade wasn't about to walk in to watch. She had only been gone 10 minutes, so she could come back.

"You only think?"

"I just need to know we'll never end up like Katie and Aaron," he pleaded. He longed to touch her soft, red hair.

"You know we won't, it's killing them to be apart but they're too stubborn to admit it," Cat ran towards Robbie. "Logan, I promise. We won't."

He took her cheeks in his hands. It was more a confession than a line in Jade's play. "I love you."

"I love you too," Cat looked into his eyes, deep into his soul.

"To the moon and back."

"Forever and always," She agreed.

Robbie grinned, unaware Cat meant it too. Then he kissed her, deeply and meaningfully. They pulled away breathless.

"That was really good, I think Jade will be impressed," Cat smiled.

"Yeah, she'll be thrilled like always," He turned to pick up his things. Why couldn't this be more than acting?

"Hey, Robbie?"

He span back around to see her.

"Shall we carry on rehearsing after school? Only if you want to…"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's fun."

"Yay! So shall we get going? I need to get changed."

"Why? You look fine as you are," Robbie insisted as they headed for the car his Grandma had bought him to replace the one that was stolen.

"I want to put my new dress on, my brother bought it me as a sorry gift," Cat explained, they reached the car. "He feels bad for having to leave home without me in the fall."

"Why? Where is he going?" Robbie asked as he opened the car door for Cat to slide into the passenger seat.

"Thank you," Cat paused, waiting for Robbie to get into the driver's side.

"He's going to university to study something to do with numbers and problems with x's."

He started the car, confused why she couldn't remember the name for Math.

"You mean Math?"

"Yeah, that's it!" She smiled.

They sat in silence until they reached Cat's house. She promised she wouldn't be long as she ran in with her school bag. He noticed her parents were in, otherwise she would have asked him inside. They liked Robbie but always spent hours questioning him on his future prospects. Cat tried to spare him as often as she could.

"Do you think I have a chance?" Robbie asked Rex who was in the trunk of the car. Cat disliked Rex because he would often insulted her yet she didn't realise he would do it so Robbie could compliment her indirectly.

"Am I an idiot for even thinking a girl like Cat would date me?" He tapped the steering wheel, wondering why Cat didn't drive herself to school. She had a perfectly sound car sat on the drive of the house. Much nicer than most of the wrecks students drove to school, probably one of the best. Her parents even put fuel in it for her, had it checked over monthly by a friend of their dad's and Beck checked it every weekend to make sure she hadn't broke it in some fashion.

Cat slipped back into the car. "I'm back!"

Her dress was two colours, a white top and a pink skirt that was ruffled. A belt sat neatly between the two parts.

"Wow, Cat, you look flawless," Robbie stammered.

"Aw, thank you! I don't look too dressed up, do I?"

"Of course not, you look beautiful."

He started the car and began to drive towards Nozu. Cat watched the road pass by her window, the lights flashing by.

"Can I ask you something?" Robbie piped up.

"Sure, only if I can ask you one in return for each?"

"Okay, seems fair," He nodded, his eyes firmly on the road. "Why do you never drive?"

"I do!" She protested. "Just never to and from school, Beck drives me to school and Jade drives home after."

"Why?"

"Beck hates that he barely sees me at school so on the way, we can talk on the way and arrange our next play date," Cat explained smiling. "Then Jade hates driving alone, her mom drives with her in a morning… never tell her I said that or she'll never speak to me again. But her mom walks to work from the drop off point a block away from school. She misses Beck driving her, she hates driving alone in case…"

"In case what?" Robbie asked.

"Forget I ever said anything."

"She could always get a ride from me?"

Cat looked up. "But she's always mean to you."

"She's your best friend, I don't mind if it makes you happy."

"Thanks Robbie, so where's Rex? Jade hasn't taken him again, has she?"

"The trunk, I wanted this to be just us. I don't need to be funny around you, I can be myself."

She smiled at him. "I'm glad you can be you."

"So where's the hyper Cat?"

She sighed. "It's a front mostly. I feel I can't show everyone 'me', if I make them laugh, confuse them, steer them away from things I don't want them to find out, I'll be okay. However, sometimes, it's me having a blonde moment, even though I'm not blonde."

"I like the real you, Caterina Valentine," Robbie said as they pulled into the car park of Nozu.

"I like the real you too, Robert."

They hesitated. Their faces only inches apart.

"Hey Cat?"

"Yes Robbie?"

"Can we…"

The knock on the window interrupted.

"Oh, it's André and Tori," Cat waved. "Thanks Robbie for being the perfect gentleman."

"You're welcome, I guess we better go before I end up buying drinks."


	6. Kiss With A Fist

Chapter six.

**This is the chapter I'm not so sure on… But it's what my friend wanted to happen in the fanfic…**

The four of them: Cat, Robbie, Tori and André. The sushi bar was filled with teens from Hollywood Arts and North Ridge. Cat spotted Jade and Beck at a table in the far corner.

"They look… intense?" Tori said.

The pair was in serious talks, Cat told the others to get drinks and put their names down for karaoke whilst she went to find out what the two were so wrapped up in.

"Jade, why can't you just tell me what's wrong?" Beck said.

"I just can't, it's not your problem anymore actually it was never your problem in the first place."

Cat approached cautiously. "What's wrong?"

Jade looked away from Cat. "Where are the others?"

"At the bar, getting drinks and choosing songs," Cat said as she sat down.

Jade sighed and looked directly at Cat. There was a patchy attempt to cover her black eye, trying to make it look like eye shadow and covering the underneath with foundation.

Cat gasped, taking Jade's hand. "Not again Jadey."

"Who did it?" Beck asked Cat.

Jade shook her head. "No, don't tell him Cat, please."

"Cat, you have to tell me."

Cat sat, unsure of what to do. Beck could help her; Jade didn't want to admit it.

"Why do you always do this?" Cat sighed. "Put me in the middle and expect me to flock to one side? You're like divorced parents with a little kid who you're trying to use as a pawn in a chess game?!"

They both stared at her.

"Look, I love you both, you're my best friends. But I'm not doing this. He could help you, Jade."

"So, when we were together and you claimed to fall and hurt yourself?" Beck looked hurt by this discovery.

"Beck…"

"No Jade, I need to know."

Jade tipped her head back. "It's not what you think."

"So I think someone is hurting you, I'm wrong?" Anger was stirring up inside him.

She shook her head.

"Beck, you sound angry," Cat whispered.

"You sound like him…" Jade shivered. She got up and tried to walk away but Beck grabbed her arm. She winced, more bruises they hadn't seen. Cat picked up on what he'd done.

"Beck let go of her arm," She begged, he realised it.

"I'm sorry, I just need to know."

Jade looked at Cat as she sat down. She was vulnerable, the only time she'd ever seen Jade like this is when _he _was brought up in conversation.

"We'll tell him together?" Cat suggested, squeezing Jade's hand.

She nodded. "My mean streak, it's my defence. If people feel intimidated by me, they won't rise up against me and hurt me."

"That's why you were always okay around us?" Beck asked pointing to himself and Cat.

"Yes, he scares me Beck, makes me feel about 5 again. He's not supposed to find me. But he does, sometimes."

Cat consoled her, wrapping her arm around Jade's shoulders.

"He hurts Cat sometimes when she stands up for me, he always hurts her more knowing it'll upset me the most," Jade said coldly.

"What?" Beck's eyes widened. "He hurts both of you?"

Cat nodded slowly. "Sometimes but he tries to get her alone, I should have been there tonight, I'm so sorry Jade."

"What has he done to you?" Beck couldn't believe he'd never really noticed their injuries.

"A couple of broken ribs although it's mostly bruises," Cat shrugged.

"Only? Cat, he broke your ribs! He's punched and kicked you like a rag doll!" Jade suddenly came to life.

"He's done worse to you, the time he pushed you down the stairs!" Cat replied.

Beck couldn't listen to it anymore. He couldn't have the girls that mattered most to him being hurt so badly. "Who is he? I can't let him hurt either of you anymore."

Jade took a deep breath and tried to force out his name.

"Can I have Cat Valentine and Jade West to sing please?" The M.C. shouted.

"It's okay, he's been arrested. Mom couldn't admit it was him though; Dad has made sure he won't see me again. But thank you, Beck," Jade tried to smile. "Come on Cat, we have a song to sing."


	7. Let Me Love You

Chapter seven.

"Jade!" Beck shouted as he threw his lunch down onto the table. "Come on you have to talk to me at some point."

It had been a week since Nozu and Jade had refused point blank to have any contact with Beck if he kept asking questions.

"Not until we have to act!" She sang as she carried picking at her taco.

Cat cut in, making Jade stop what she was doing. "Guys! Drop it! Look, Beck he's gone, we're okay now and Jade talk to him already!"

The pair shifted uncomfortably.

"Fine, I will drop it if you promise not to keep secrets," Beck sighed.

"So say if we weren't happy in a relationship, we'd have to discuss it instead of announcing it in front of everyone we know?" Jade squared up to him.

"Jade! That was uncalled for!" Cat shouted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that," Jade closed her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry," Beck sighed again.

Cat sat between them at the table, Robbie was with Sikowitz moving the crates of coconuts Jade had bought him into his classroom, Tori and André were writing a song for André's class and Trina had decided to spend the entire week with the popular kids trying to make them her friends.

"Why don't you two just agree to be friends?" Cat suggested, hoping one of them would admit they couldn't be just friends and that the spark was still there.

"I'm happy to accept that, I hate having to argue with you, Jade."

Jade shrugged. The dagger of his agreement struck her square in the heart. Cat had been wrong; he didn't have the feelings he once did for her. "Sure."

A script lay in front of Cat. "Hey what part are we doing today?"

"I was thinking we could do a song today," Jade said, playing with her fingers.

"Which?" Beck asked.

Jade flicked through the pages, thinking. "Our song, 'Perfect for me'."

"I like that song!" Cat squealed. "It's really sweet and romantic."

"Oh yeah, we play a couple. I almost forgot," Beck said.

"We could change it, Cat could play Katie and I'll adapt it for me and Robbie…" Jade offered.

"No, we're sticking to it, we'll be good at playing a couple. Nearly 3 years' experience behind us," Beck laughed.

Jade nodded and tried to fake a smile. Cat noticed.

"Jadey?"

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

Jade folded her arms. "Nothing."

"Jadey, tell me," Cat pleaded.

Beck sat frowning at her.

"No, I don't want to," Jade replied to Cat.

"Jade, come on," She begged. "Is it about him? You don't feel guilty, do you?"

"Shut it Cat, I don't need you to lecture me about life choices, okay? Get your own life sorted before you start preaching to me. Stop telling me what I should think and feel, I don't need it!" She shouted.

Cat was unsure of how to react.

Beck was the first to. "Jade, that was harsh."

Cat's eyes started to water. She looked like a small child.

"Oh, God, I am so sorry Cat," Jade said suddenly realising what she'd said.

She shook her head and took her bag from under the table then ran towards the main building.

"Tactful. Very tactful," Beck held up his drink to Jade.

"I didn't mean to say it. It kind of came out."

Beck sighed. "Do you think one of us should follow her?"

"I doubt she'll want to see me today."

"I'll go then?" He offered.

Jade shook her head. "I'll get Robbie to, he has a knack for cheering her up."

"I remember when I used to cheer you up."

"Don't start Beck, please just don't."

"Why? Reminiscing is good," Beck hoped she'd say something.

"Come on or we'll be late for lesson."

Robbie got Jade's text to go cheer Cat up within seconds. It only read 'Make her smile again, it could be your chance', at first it confused him but then he realised as the red head ran past his locker that he knew what she had meant.

The door of the Janitor's closet slammed behind her. So Robbie followed after cramming Rex into the locker. Cat sat huddled in the corner, stroking Mr. Purple.

"Hey, are you okay?" Robbie asked.

Cat stared up at him.

"I know, stupid question," He sighed, sitting down next to her.

"Jade was really mean to me," She sobbed.

Robbie wrapped an arm around her. "She's just under a lot of pressure. I'm sure she didn't mean any of it."

"Robbie, do you think I'm a mess?"

He frowned. "No of course I don't! You are perfect, Cat."

"She said I needed to sort my life out," She sighed.

"She was angry, people say all sorts when they're angry. She didn't mean it," He tried to console her.

"I don't know, she seemed to mean it."

Robbie took her face in his hands. "Caterina, you are beautiful and brilliant the way you are. You make me smile, laugh and feel like I'm on cloud nine."

"Where's cloud nine? Can I go to cloud ten instead?"

"I don't think you can, it's a figure of speech Cat," He smiled.

"Robbie?"

"Yes Cat?"

"Kiss me."

"What?" He remarked.

"I like you, I've finally realised. I just hope you…"

"I do, I've been in love with you since I first met you."

Cat laughed, her heart fluttering. "Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't think you felt the same way."

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. Your song confused me a lot."

"I'm sorry…"

Cat cut him off. "It helped me realise that I can't keep playing with your feelings so I either returned them or let another girl have you. So I thought long and hard about us and realised I could never let another girl have you, Robbie."

"But I'm not good enough for you. Jade and Tori always tell me I scare you with the way I play Pirates."

Cat shook her head. "They've been trying to get us together you know, Jade changed our parts and everything."

"Oh? So they all knew?" Robbie blushed.

"Yeah, kind of," Cat laughed softly. "They thought I wasn't aware but Jade can be a little obvious."

"So what do we do now?"

"You still haven't asked me out in a gentlemanly fashion!"

He sighed. "Does that mean I have to ask your dad first?"

"No, silly! You can ask Mr Purple," She held the giraffe up to him.

He nodded his head at it. "Mr Purple, may I ask Caterina to date me?"

"He said yes," Cat grinned. "Only if you take me to get ice cream later though."

"I can do that," He replied. "So Cat, will you be my girlfriend?"

She sat and thought dramatically tapping her chin. "I guess, I have nothing better to do."

"You don't have to if you don't want," Robbie began to witter pointlessly.

Cat placed a finger on his lips. "I don't think there's anything in the world I'd rather be, apart from a dolphin, they do cool tricks."

Robbie leapt up and held out his hand. "We best get to lesson, Miss Valentine!"

"Or Jadey won't be impressed at all!" She gasped, grabbing the outstretched hand to pull herself up.

Robbie opened the door, allowing her to go first. Cat paused then kissed him lightly.

"What was that for?" He asked in astonishment.

"I don't know. Maybe because you're a lovely guy or because you're my boyfriend, who knows?"

She took his hand and proceeded to the black box theatre with a smile plastered on her face.


	8. Secrets That Should Be Kept

Chapter eight.

Cat and Robbie arrived to class just on time with their fingers laced together. Jade looked up from talking to André about the music and couldn't resist smiling; she walked over to them slowly.

"So?" Jade asked.

Cat grinned up at Robbie then at her best friend. "I'm happy, I forgive you Jadey. You didn't mean it."

"Thanks Cat just never tell anyone I said sorry, I'll lose my edge."

Cat reached out to Jade and hugged her, whispering in her ear. "Thank you, Jadey. I promise I'll help with Beck."

Jade pulled away and tried to smile. "Thanks Cat."

Robbie stepped forward, putting an arm around Cat's shoulders. "Jade, don't hit me but I could drive you to school in a morning and drive you back with Cat after?"

She contemplated it. "I'll think about it, thanks Robbie."

"You're welcome, you seem surprisingly nice today," Robbie said cautiously.

Jade began to walk towards the stage so she spoke loudly which shut everyone else up too. "Yeah well, don't get used to it."

"Don't worry, we haven't," Beck replied knitting his eyebrows together.

Jade rolled her eyes at him, she folded her arms. "Thanks for that pointless comment."

Cat and Robbie sat down next to Beck, Cat leant over to Beck. "She's a bit upset, make her happy again."

"Why?" He whispered back as Jade was talking about the importance of emotion in the play and how she would rip people's hair out and make jumpers if she didn't see the raw emotion from them.

"I think she isn't ready to see other couples."

Beck frowned. "You mean, you and Robbie finally got together?"

Cat nodded vigorously with a grin as wide as a half moon.

"Congrats Kitten! But have you told him?"

"He knows from last year but should we tell Jade?"

Beck's lips were at Cat's ear. "That would mean hell for both of us, Kitten."

"But we should be honest!" She gasped.

"We'd hurt…"

"Beck, can we begin?" Jade asked impatiently.

He looked up in shock. "Erm, of course."

Beck walked over to Jade and stood next to her as she spoke to André who was holding his guitar. "André, you know when to come in right?"

"Your line about half a page in," He nodded.

"Right, ready?" Jade said nervously, what if it felt different? What if he was acting like he did with the other girls in the other plays?

"As I'll ever be," He smiled back. What if it felt different? What if she was acting like she did with other boys in other plays?

"Tori, you can call action."

Tori sat up. "Oh I am honoured!"

"For goodness sake, shut up and say action!" Jade barked back.

Tori rolled her eyes then sank back down into her seat. "Fine then, action!"

"Katie, I can't do it anymore, I need you," Beck put his hands on Jade's shoulders, she looked away from him. "Look at me at least!"

"I can't, you broke my heart Aaron! I can't forget about that."

Beck lifted her chin up. "I know but I love you, isn't that enough?"

Jade walked away, her heart hammering against her rib cage. "I don't know anymore, I wish it was."

"Remember the times we had, they were so much fun, you used to laugh like you would never stop, and you used to smile."

She kept her back to him. "Remind me."

André began playing his guitar softly.

Beck began to sing. "_You sit in the bathroom and you paint your toes  
I sit on the bed right now and I sing you a song  
it's not always easy, but somehow our love stays strong  
if I can make you happy, then this is where I belong._"

Jade softened her posture. She imagined he meant every word, that would be how she would if he was singing this to her. He made her happy. He made her want to be a better person and believe me she tried but how could she when the boy she loved with a hopeless passion didn't want her anymore?

She began to sing with him, harmonising perfectly as she turned back to face him. "_And I'd just like to say  
I thank God that you're here with me  
And I know you too well to say that you're perfect  
But you'll see, oh my sweet love, you're perfect for me._"

Beck stopped singing, staring at Jade intently. She slowly walked towards him as she sang.

"_I know all your secrets, and you know all of mine  
you're always here to hold me up when I'm losing my mind  
I wish that I was stronger so that I had more to give  
I'll share everything I have and we'll find a way to live."_

Beck couldn't help but realise it was true, she did know everything about him. Except that one thing. The one little thing that threatened to destroy everything he wanted. It wasn't supposed to happen but it did, it was something they regretted. But could regret be good enough?

Jade noticed the words she was singing; Beck did hold her up and made her carry on fighting. Even though she loved all of the dark things like scissors and sadness, he still made her happier than anything on this entire earth.

They both sang the chorus again; Beck laced his fingers through Jade's, smiling at her slightly. She didn't know how to respond, she hadn't put this in the directions but she liked it, having contact with him again made her feel real.

She reached up and traced the outline of his lips with her fingertips in some brave haze then he began to sing.

"Even after all this time, nothing else I ever find

In this whole wide world can shake me like you do

It's true that something so sublime that there aren't words yet to describe

The beauty of this life I've made with you."

They had nearly 3 years of love behind them: the kissing in his car, the fights that would end at 3am with Jade slamming the door in his face, the laughter from pointless comments and the nights that never ended until the sun appeared the next day with films and popcorn.

"_And I'd just like to say  
I thank God that you're here with me  
And I know you too well to say you're perfect  
But you'll see oh my sweet love you're perfect for me  
And I know you too well to say you're perfect  
But you'll see of my sweet love you're perfect  
Oh my love I swear you're perfect  
Yes I promise, you're perfect for me_."

André slowly trailed the last notes off. It came to the part Jade had dreaded. The kiss.

Beck took Jade's face in his hands, hesitating for a couple of seconds. He then kissed her like he used to. They pulled away from each other. It was just like old times.

Tori sat smiling. "And that is what I call a rehearsal."

"As touching as that was, I have something to share with you all," A voice called from the back.

Beck's head snapped up, Cat looked around in shock.

It was the sound that threatened to ruin Jade's happiness.


	9. Not What She Was Expecting

Chapter nine.

"What the hell?" Jade yelled after the news had broken out.

Beck tried to take her hand but she pulled away.

"No! Get away from me, I don't believe it. How could you?"

Danny stood in the back with a lollipop in his mouth smiling like the cat that got the cream.

"It's not a nice feeling, is it?" He laughed. "Oh wait, I wouldn't know. It never happens to me."

Tori stood up. "That is not fair, Danny. Get out now before I call a teacher!"

Danny laughed again, more sadistically this time as he walked towards Cat. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"What was it, Cat? The fact I did it to you so you had to go ruin someone else's relationship?" Danny smiled as he stroked her hair. "That was a little spiteful."

Robbie jumped up. "Do not speak to my girlfriend like that."

"Oh! You have a new boyfriend or should I say babysitter? It's what it's like; we can compare notes later if you like. Tori is a great kisser if you need a candidate to cheat with, unless of course, you already have that arranged. I mean, Cat has hers set up and ready to go as soon as you've done your cheating."

Robbie slowly turned red as Danny spoke. He wasn't sure what he was doing but as soon as his fist hit the idiot, he knew he would pay for it later. The whole room gasped as Danny collapsed on the floor.

"Robbie?" Cat asked in her childish voice. "Are you okay?"

"My hand hurts a little but his face will hurt more in the morning."

Cat took his hand lightly holding it in his palms. "Come on, we'll go get it cleaned up."

"I thought we were best friends," Jade screamed at her.

Cat turned to look at her wide eyed.

"I can't believe it; I actually cannot believe what you've done."

"It was my fault, don't blame her. She stopped it," Beck pulled Jade's arm to face him.

"What was it? You nearly kissed Tori as well so what is this? Let's try and kiss all of Jade's friends?" Jade yelled at the top of her voice.

"Come on Cat, we better leave them to it," Robbie kissed the top of her head and guided her to the door.

Tori and André exchanged a look then looked down to an unconscious Danny. They went over and grabbed a leg then proceeded to drag him out of the theatre.

"Why? Just tell me why?" Jade was close to tears.

"She was upset about Tori and Danny, I comforted her and things just got a little out of hand," Beck said calmly.

"So every girl you see upset, you kiss them better? Or is Cat special?"

Beck sat down back in his seat. "Just her, she stopped me. Told me it was wrong and that we'd hurt you. She was right, she always is."

"So you're telling me this isn't Cat's fault?" Jade sat down next to him.

"I kissed her, she stopped it. None of it was her fault."

Jade started crying silently, tears falling thick and fast.

"Jade?" Beck said concerned.

"Tell me, how did it happen?"

"Are you…?"

"Just tell me, Beck, it's not difficult."

"She asked me to go round to hers with some candy. We were watching one of her Disney films on her bed and she said how upset she was about Tori and Danny, she'd really taken it badly…"

Jade cut in. "You think I don't know that? I'm her best friend too you know."

"Sorry, so I just leant over and kissed her," Beck sighed, his head in his hands.

"So how did Danny know?"

"Cat's mom let him in to fetch his jacket and he walked in."

Jade weighed it up. As much as she wanted to hate Beck, she couldn't find the strength to. Fair enough, she was hurt but she couldn't shake the feeling of love for him.

"Why didn't you tell me? We're supposed to share everything?"

Beck turned to look at her. "Cat wanted to, she has done ever since it happened but I knew you'd hate me for it."

Jade swallowed her pride, she couldn't ignore it but she couldn't let it ruin her last hope of happiness. "Are you sorry or just sorry you got caught?"

"I'm sorry; I'm an idiot for not telling you. If it counts for anything, I really sorry Jade."

She took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry. If I was a better girlfriend to you, if I wasn't demanding or a complete cow, if I was approachable and I understood that you were trying to help her…"

"You're saying it's your fault?" Beck laughed without humour.

"Part of it, I can't say it's my fault you kiss her as I wasn't there," She joined in laughing.

"Wow, someone should film this, Jadelyn West admitting she's not perfect."

She hit him lightly. "Never repeat this."

"What would you do if I told you I still loved you?" Beck asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I'd have to go apologise to Cat for not believing her?"

"Other than that, what would you say?" He asked her, bemused by it.

She paused.

Trina suddenly ran into the theatre. "Why is my sister dragging her ex-boyfriend out of here?!"

Jade stood up and threw something at her.

Trina ducked. "Okay, I'm leaving you psycho child!"

She ran back out of the door.

"You never answered me."

She sat back down, resting her head on his shoulder. "Probably admit to still loving you too."

He kissed her hair. "I've missed you, Jade."

"I've missed you too."

Trina walked in. "Hey, we put Danny in the…"

She saw the newly reunited couple.

"Aw. I'll tell you later, aw." Tori smiled, Jade turned to look at her. "I'll go…"

"Can you see if Cat's okay?" Beck asked.

"Sure thing, any messages you need sending?"

"Tell her I'm calling an emergency sleep over tonight," Jade said.

"Oh! Sleep overs! I love them!"

Jade frowned. "I don't recall inviting you."

"Oh. It doesn't matter anyway me and André…"

"Leave. Now."

"Going," Tori replied and walked out.

Beck smiled. "Now there's the Jade I know and love only too well."

"Hey, you have a lot of making up to do," Jade smiled.


	10. Bang, Bang You're Dead

Chapter ten.

**Even if I do say so myself, I am extremely proud of this chapter so I hope you like it, please tell me what you think! Because for all I know, this could be rubbish and I haven't quite realised it. Love, Jodie.**

Cat had everything prepared: snacks, DVDs, nail vanish and lots of pictures to cut up if Jade was angry. She wondered what mood Jade would be in, she hadn't seen her after lesson; she had gone to the nurse with Robbie to get his hand fixed. Danny had mysteriously disappeared but when she'd asked Beck where he was, he'd just laughed and told him she would find out sooner or later. Beck also asked her to do him a favour in exchange for him taking her to an audition with him, on the condition she didn't tell Jade what was happening.

The door rang and Cat skipped to the front door.

"You called an emergency sleep over?" Cat said. "You never call them usually…"

"Yeah well, first time for everything Cat," Jade replied as she walked in. "Can I dump my stuff in your room?"

Cat frowned. "I thought we could sleep in the living room for a change, I'm home alone for the weekend. Mom and dad are taking my brother to look around his university."

"Whatever you want, I get the bigger couch because I'm taller," Jade decided as she threw her stuff on it then folded her arms. "So, do you have anything to say for yourself, Cat?"

Cat stood there guiltily, playing with her necklace. She looked down to the floor not daring to look at her best friend.

"You're making me feel bad," Jade sighed. "I talked to Beck and I think we can work through it."

Cat's head snapped up with a giant smile. "I think that's the best news I've ever heard, Jadey."

"I think it is for me too," Jade smiled a little.

"That means my two wishes came true, that's just the last one to come to now," Cat counted on her fingers.

Jade sat down on her bed for the night, Cat next to her.

"What do you mean, Cat?"

"I wished on the shooting star I saw last night," She said.

"Wait, you can't wish on the same shooting star 3 times, Cat."

"Who made that rule? I can wish as many times as I want," Cat smiled. "Now what do you want to watch?"

"I was hoping we could talk instead, just for a little while, and then you can pick the film afterwards?" Jade suggested.

"Hmm, 'Kay. If that's what you want to do," Cat shrugged, she wasn't looking forward to whatever topic she had in mind.

Jade paused for a minute. How could she broach the questions she had without upsetting Cat?

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Beck?"

Cat hesitated; she didn't know how to say it without sounding like a spoilt child. "I wanted to but Beck said it would upset you and that because it would never happen again it wouldn't matter. He's the one who knows you inside out these days so much more than I know, so I thought he knew best… you don't hate me, do you?"

"Of course not, Cat! How could you ever think I could hate you? You were my best friend long before I was Beck's girlfriend."

"I'm sorry. I never set out to hurt you…" Cat looked down in shame.

"I know you didn't," Jade took her hand and squeezed it. "Have you ever thought you're the one that started this whole thing?"

"How come?" She asked confused.

Jade smiled at the memories. "It was your 8th birthday party and you'd only invited me and Beck. You'd used the rest of the invites are confetti, remember?"

"Oh yeah, you told Beck his hair was stupid…"

"In my defence he told me my dress was stupid!" Jade laughed.

"When we were little, everyone thought we would grow up and fall in love. Get married and have kids, rock the grandchildren on the porch. The typical thing for best friends, you know? But when Beck started dating you, everyone suddenly realised they were wrong," Cat spoke with a certain sadness with her voice.

"How come they realised they were wrong?"

"They saw you two together and that was it. They saw how happy you were, you bring the best out in each other, Jade, and surely you've noticed?"

Jade couldn't quite get her head around how serious Cat was being; usually at sleepovers she would be hyper and giggly.

"So why do you sound sad about that?" Jade said, knowing her best friend only wanted to see her and Beck happy.

Cat shrugged again. "I thought you'd stolen my happy ever after. That everyone married their childhood best friend and I hadn't got the opportunity so I would never fall in love. But I was wrong, I've realised in the past few years that not every fairy tale is like that and now with Robbie, I'm finally happy."

"I'm sorry if you felt like that," Jade was hit by sudden realisation. "You aren't still…?"

"There are good days and bad days, just like with anything," Cat said emotionless. "Now, which film? I think Cinderella would be good?"

Jade smiled at her. "Whatever you want to watch is fine with me."

Cat put the disc in and threw a bag of popcorn at Jade, laughing.

They watched for so long until curiosity got the better of Jade.

"Cat?"

"Uh-huh?"

"What did you wish for last night?" Jade asked as she scrutinised a piece of popcorn.

"What do you think?" Cat said, wondering what she would say.

She shrugged. "I have no idea, erm, giraffes, red velvet cupcakes and sparkly things in endless supplies?"

"Surprisingly, no I didn't," Cat checked her phone. "He should be here already."

"Who?" Jade frowned. As far as she was aware it was only supposed to be her and Cat.

"Beck…" Cat covered her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to tell you! He wanted to surprise you, dance in the backyard to your favourite song…"

Jade melted a little. "That's almost cute."

"Almost?"

"Well, I couldn't say it's full blown cute or I'd be breaking my promise to my neighbour's kid that nothing is as cute as the rose he gave me for Valentine's."

Cat smiled. "You really are something else, Jadey."

Jade rolled her eyes. "So what did you wish for?"

"Wait a second…Beck said he's going to be a little late, he was supposed to come at 9, he'll be here in about half an hour."

"Cat! What did you wish for?" Jade shouted impatiently.

"First thing I wished for were you and Beck to be happy together again, the second thing was that Robbie would like me back and the third…" Cat stopped as a car pulled up on the drive. She walked over to the window. "I best go make some drinks."

"Probably Beck wanting to surprise both of us, since you're not going to, I better answer the door," Jade sighed.

Jade opened the door, her eyes widened as she tried to slam it but he caught it before she could fully slam it.

"Wait, not so fast! I thought we could catch up, you know, it's been a week after all," He winked at her and barged into the house.

"You're supposed to be in jail," Jade stuttered, backing away from him.

He laughed. "It's brilliant what that air head step-mother of ours will do when she doesn't fully understand things."

"She bailed you?!" Jade screeched.

Cat walked back into the living room holding two glasses not bothering to put her head up. "Hey Beck, I thought you…"

She thought it was strange that Beck hadn't replied so she put her head up and saw him, dropping the glasses onto the floor.

"So you're surprised to see me too, Caterina?" He grinned.

"How can you be my brother?" Jade sniggered, her blood running cold. "You're supposed to be my big brother and protect me."

Jade's brother leant against the door frame. "I'm not the one that made mom and dad get divorced, devil child."

"When will you wake up and see that was you or are you too freaking deluded?" Jade challenged, she positioned herself in front of Cat.

"Aw, that's touching. Protecting little Cat, it's almost admirable."

Jade shivered. "Don't even speak to her."

"Or what?" He pulled a black object from the hollow of his back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jade cried out.

He remained calm. "Correcting the thing that ruined our family, that thing being you, Jadelyn."

He grabbed Jade's arm. "We'll do this outside, shall we? Such a pretty house, it would be a shame to have blood splatters everywhere. Do pass the compliments on to your parents, Caterina. Oh, I nearly forgot, how rude of me. Any last words for your friend, Jadelyn?"

Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She could put a stop to this, save Cat from being hurt and stop the sad look in Beck's eyes. "Cat, stay in the house, call the police. Just don't come outside, I love you and tell Beck I love him too."

Cat nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. "I love you too, Jadey."

"You never told me your third wish…"

He cut Jade off, shoving her in the back. "Hey, I said last words, not last conversation."

He dragged Jade out of the door, slamming it behind him, leaving Cat crying in the pretty house.

They walked out on to the black street. Midnight, if you would have asked Jade at any other time, would be the perfect time to die. Midnight was between two worlds, night and day. The world, on the most part, was sleeping except for those few that decided to discover the third dimension offered to humans. Therefore death would be unique in this dimension, Jade thought.

He pushed her forward aiming the gun at her; she already knew if she tried to run he would shoot her without thought, she prayed Cat would just stay in the house.

"Why are you doing this?" Jade finally broke out in tears; she hadn't in the house as she needed to be strong for Cat. But now as the reality of the estranged brother pointing a gun at her was setting in, she no longer cared.

"You destroyed my family, why did you do that? You drove my parents to divorce, why?"

"They're our parents, we are their children," Jade said automatically.

He shook his head. "No, there are two children in my family, me and my brother."

"You're a psychopath, do you realise that?" She replied coldly.

"Oh I know, Jadelyn, I have known that for a long time," He smiled again, wider but it still didn't reach his cold eyes. "You know, when mom and dad came home and they had you wrapped up in a blanket, mom bent down to me and said 'baby, this is your new sister, she's called Jadelyn'. I always thought I'd come around to the idea of having you there. But nope, I never did, I've never felt anything for you."

"What do you want me to say? Sorry?" She sobbed.

"No, sorry won't cover half of it. I just need to tie up this loose end then I can be on my way."

"Why today?"

"I was bored, I had no plans tonight and thought I'd come find your car but instead I found you," He sighed dramatically. "So I guess this is goodbye Jadelyn."

He pointed the gun towards her, pulling the trigger with a smile. Neither of them noticed the small, red velvet haired girl coming from the house previously. He didn't even realise the girl leap in front of his sister as he walked away and jumped inside his car, driving off before the police came. Not that he would have cared, he never felt that emotion nor had he ever felt love.

The bullet finally rested in Cat's stomach, she fell to the floor. Jade was still wide eyed from the event. How had she managed to get out of the house without her noticing?  
An ever-growing pool of blood surrounded Cat, Jade sank to her knees and cradled her in her arms. She pressed down on the wound, she called 911 and waited for the ambulance.

"It's going to be okay, Cat."

Cat smiled; a dazed look in her eyes. "I...know…Jadey."

"I told you to stay in the house, why did you do that?!" Jade's voice was growing quicker and more panicked.

Cat still smiled. Her fingers, stained red, reached up weakly to Jade's lips. "You…want…to…know…my…third…wish?"

Jade silently nodded, tears brimming her eyes.

"That…I…would…make…things…up…to…you."

Cat's arm dropped down as the ambulance pulled up, her eyes closing and the magic spark she had fading gradually.


	11. What Matters In The End?

Chapter eleven.

Cat couldn't keep focus, she felt like she'd been pushed under the water and left there. Her breath hitching, her vision blurry, her speech slurred, her hearing sounding like the static on a radio between caught between stations. The occasional words slipped through but they became crossed over and hazy. The lights, so bright, so loud, so alive. Her thoughts stumbled over each other as they tried to become her only focus. Why did it hurt so much? The pain refused to go away. She tried to get up but her body was unresponsive. She tried to explain who she was but it came out completely opposite to what she wanted. The ceiling flew by her. Blue blobs were either side of her.

'I don't want to die' was the last thought to creep into her mind; it was the only one that made sense.

She felt sick letting Cat go to hospital alone but the ambulance told her to wait for Beck when they understood her hysterical words about him coming over. As soon as his car pulled up, he got out and wandered over. Jade didn't move from the spot they'd taken her out of her arms.

"Hey babe, where's Cat?"

She didn't reply to him, her back facing him, she didn't even flinch at the sound of his voice.

"Why are you sat in the middle of the road? You could get hurt, come on, let's head inside," Beck walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Has Cat gone to bed? I'm sorry it's so late."

"Cat's gone."

"Gone where? Her car's still on the drive, babe."

"Help me up, Beck? I want to go see her," She held up her hands for him to pull her up.

Beck grabbed them and pulled her up. He felt the warm, red blood on her hands.

"Jade? Are you hurt?" He said panicked staring down at the blood that was now on his hands too.

She turned to face him, her make-up streaking down her face and her eyes puffy from crying.

"They told me to wait for you so you wouldn't find the pool of blood with no explanation, the police are going to take care of this, get some forensics or something."

"Who told you? What is happening?"

"Cat was shot by my brother; she took the bullet for me. That should have been me," Jade started crying again, Beck pulled her into his chest.

"It'll be okay, the doctors will fix her up and she'll be happy Cat again," He mumbled into her hair.

Jade pulled away. "I need to see her."

"After we get you cleaned up, I'm sure Cat won't mind you borrowing some clothes and I probably have a clean shirt in the trunk."

"No, I need to go now."

Beck shook his head. "You'll scare her when she wakes up and you're covered in blood, you'll look like something out of a horror film to her."

Jade frowned. "What if she wakes up and I'm not there?"

"She won't wake up before we get there, I promise. She'll be taken into surgery straight away."

"Are you sure?"

Beck nodded. "There's no one home?"

"Her parents are with her brother at some university, we should probably call them," Jade wiped her eyes on her shirt. "We have to tell Robbie."

"I guess we'll call them all from the hospital or the car."

He took her hand and guided her up to the house; he produced a key and unlocked the door. Jade looked at him.

"Her parents gave it me so if she ever needed me…"

Jade lifted up her necklace which was tucked into her top, at the end of the string was also a key.

"They gave me one too."

He let Jade go first, she ran straight upstairs and washed her hands and face. Beck cleaned himself up in the bathroom downstairs, he was still in shock, it was the only reason he was so calm.  
Jade walked into Cat's room, her head was spinning, all she needed something that reminded her of Cat. She opened the closet searching for Cat's favourite jumper then she pulled out some jeans from the shelves. Jade walked towards the bed after she put them on, picking up Mr Purple and hugging the stuffed giraffe tightly.

Beck appeared in the doorway. "Ready?"

She nodded and went to sit in the car, leaving him to lock up the house. She stared at the dash which stated the time. One a.m. Beck slid into the car and started the engine. The hospital was about 10 minutes away, Cat would have been there about half an hour now, she thought.

"How do we tell Robbie?" Jade asked hoping Beck would have the answer like he always did.

"The basics and tell him to get to the hospital."

She nodded and found her phone still clutching the giraffe to her chest.

"Mammaw, I told you, I'm dating Cat whether you like it or…"

"Robbie it's me."

"Jade? Is this a prank call because I'm trying to sleep," He whined. "Tell Cat it's not funny."

"Robbie, listen to me, Cat's…hurt. She's in hospital, I'm with Beck driving there now, meet us there."

The phone cut off dead.

"I can't ring Cat's parents, they'll be heartbroken," Jade said.

"I'm sure the hospital staff will do it for us when we get there, babe."

She didn't reply, instead she pieced together the hour that had just passed. Her best friend had managed to save her life, he was aiming for Jade's heart instead the bullet was in Cat's stomach. She shouldn't have jumped in front of her. She couldn't help but feel anger towards Cat yet that was overshadowed by the huge amount of guilt and pain. She had to pull through, Cat couldn't die.

The hospital was bright with the white lights. Unnaturally bright, it hurt Jade's eyes. Hospitals smelt funny to her, there was the lingering scent of disinfectant and pain. She could almost see the unsaid words dance around the people, the flat line beeps flooded Jade's senses making her almost believe Cat was dead, the last regrets of the dead painted the walls a sad shade of grey. Jade watched the clock. The surgery would be over soon. 15 more minutes if there had been no complications. She wanted to say something to Beck, console him perhaps; he was her best friend after all. But she couldn't make his lips move.

Beck stared at Jade, intently as they waited in some family room. Cat would be okay, he told himself over and over. She had to be. The nurse, he couldn't remember her name, had explained what was happening in surgery, she'd also offered to call Cat's parents for them. Beck watched the clock. The surgery would be over soon. 15 more minutes if there had been no complications. He wanted to say something to Jade, console her perhaps; she was her best friend after all. But he couldn't make his lips move.

She shifted uncomfortably, Beck moved away thinking she wanted more space on the small leather settee, she stared at him. They hadn't officially got back together yet. No one had stated it and made it clear to either of them. Beck was waiting for Jade to confirm it; Jade was waiting for Beck to call the shots. Jade sighed and decided she needed him more than she needed her pride, so she swallowed the few scraps of pride she had left and took his hand then placed her head on his shoulder. Beck was a little surprised, he thought he'd have to put up more of a fight to win her over, instead she was simply too tired and too sad to bother acting like the hard to please.

The nurse walked in. Jade's head shot up but she moved a little closer to him.

"I rang her parents, they're driving back but it'll take them at least a day or more to get here so they asked if you two would stay with her," She smiled reassuringly. She sat down in the chair opposite. "Now, we just wait for the doctor."

Beck chuckled under his breath, Jade looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"I just thought what Cat would say, she'd ask if it was Doctor Who and if she could go in the TARDIS for a look around," Beck shook his head laughing.

Jade laughed too. "Yeah, that would probably be it. God help him if he wears bow ties."

The nurse smiled at them. "So you two are Caterina's friends?"

"We're more like family. We've been through too much to be friends. She's more like a sister to us," Jade said, playing with Beck's fingers, positioning her hand on top of his then wrapping her own around his hand. She did when she was scared, nervous or sad. Beck could tell it was a mixture of all three.

"I guess you're dating then?" She nodded towards their intertwined hands.

Beck nodded hesitantly after Jade gave him a confirmation smile.

"You make a good match."

Robbie ran through the door, he was breathless and his hair was a mess. His face hid no secrets of how he was feeling.

"And I'm guessing this is Caterina's boyfriend? They all have this worried look in their eye," The nurse explained to Beck and Jade. She turned to Robbie. "She's in surgery; the doctor will be in any moment."

Robbie nodded and sat down silently. "I text André and Tori to come too, they'd want to be here."

Within minutes they also flew the doors holding hands.

Jade pointed at them with her free hand. "Are you two…?"

Tori blushed. André just turned selectively deaf. The nurse explained to them the same she had with everyone else. They just nodded. Robbie had a glazed look like his soul had escaped him and had gone wandering along the lengthy corridors.

The doctor appeared with a clipboard. All of them stood up faster than the bullet that had struck Cat.

"Well…" He began.

Their hearts all skipped multiple beats.


	12. New Extremes

"Caterina is one of the luckiest patients I've had; the bullet narrowly missed her organs," The doctor said glancing down at his clipboard. "She's just out of theatre so I expect she'll sleep for a couple of hours."

"But she's going to be okay?" Tori asked.

The doctor nodded. "I imagine so but she'll need to stay here for about a week though. Other than a couple of scars, she'll be fine."

Robbie sighed in relief. Jade put her head on Beck's chest whilst he hugged her. André smiled at Tori. Tori smiled back.

The nurse got up and walked over to the doctor. She muttered something in his ear.

"Ah, I see…" The doctor agreed. "Look, I finish my shift soon and another doctor will take over Caterina's care, normally this room is for direct family."

"But I can't leave her," Jade stated abruptly.

"We know honey, so I have an idea to make sure you can stay," The nurse explained.

"And that is?" Tori did her usual hand gesture when she wanted to know something.

"Just act like you're all adopted," The nurse laughed.

Jade groaned. "You want us to be like a messed up version of Twilight?"

The doctor raised his eyebrow at the nurse. "I was just going to put it in the notes that they needed to stay at the request of the parents."

"How did you ever make it through medical school?" Jade asked the nurse.

She blushed as she replied. "My daughter made me read it."

The doctor looked at his watch. "Well, it's time we clocked off."

The nurse smiled and told the group to help themselves to the staff coffee machine as they both left.

"You need some sleep," Beck muttered into Jade's hair.

She wanted to disagree but her eyes were heavy. She nestled into his lap, he stroked her hair softly.

"I think we should all try to sleep," André suggested, he wrapped arm around Tori so she could sleep on his shoulder.

Robbie couldn't help but resent them all slightly. They had the one they loved wrapped up in their arms except him. Instead she was in a hospital bed in the next room. There was only a wall separating them. He wondered how long it would take her to come round, what she would be dreaming about, would she dream about him?

It was a long night. From 2am until 10am, they all tried to sleep. But they were so restless. There was a knock on the door; another nurse put her head inside the room. She was tall, unlike Twilight, the nickname they'd all given to the previous one.

"Cat wishes to see Jade and Robbie."

"She's awake?" Tori asked.

Jade rolled her eyes. "No, she can talk in her sleep."

Tori glared at Jade for a minute but then went to get some drinks for everyone. Jade and Robbie got up, they wondered what state they'd find her in.

She was sat up in the bed watching the TV on the far wall.

"Thank God you're alive," Robbie sighed, he walked over to her and kissed her forehead.

Jade hovered at the door leaning against it.

"Jade?" Her voice was so tired and young.

"I thought he'd killed you."

Cat couldn't look her in the eye. "But he didn't…"

"He could have done Cat, I should be the one in this place not you."

"I would still be here even if it was you," Cat said.

Robbie looked awkward. They were on the point of arguing and he was just stood there.

"I just feel like you shouldn't be there," Jade walked closer to the bottom of the bed.

"Jadey, it's okay. They keep giving me ice cream and the nice lady changes my big bandagey thing," Cat pointed to the bulge under the hospital gown. "But it's so itchy. Jadey, can you scratch my side for me? I would do it myself but they've stabbed my hands with needles to give me magic powers. Hey! You know now I've been shot, will I get super powers?!"

Robbie laughed. "Quite possibly, Cat."

Jade walked over and scratched her side, she noticed that Cat winced.

"What? You're hurting? Shall I call the nurse?" Robbie panicked.

"No, it's fine. I forgot I had grazes from the road."

Jade lifted an eyebrow suspiciously. "Grazes, huh?"

Cat stared at her.

Robbie looked from one to the other. "Anyone want to explain what's going on?"

"Can you ask Beck to come in please? I want to see him," Cat asked sweetly.

"Sure. Do you want anything from home?"

"I want Mr Purple."

Jade had forgotten to bring it in with her. "Beck has it."

"Okay," Robbie replied. He kissed Cat. "I love you."

"I love you too. Oh! Can you get me some colouring books?"

Robbie smiled at her. "Sure thing, I'll be back soon."

"I'll miss you," Cat said in a small voice.

Jade rolled her eyes.

"I'll miss you too."

"Your goodbyes take too long," Jade sighed dramatically.

Robbie slipped out of the door quickly.

"So how did you manage to get grazes through a jumper and a hoodie?"

Cat avoided Jade's gaze. She hoped Beck would hurry in so she wouldn't have the third degree from Jade.

"Answer me, Cat. I want to help you."

Beck interrupted when he walked in with the bright purple giraffe, he tossed it to Jade. "Babe, the police want to speak to you."

"They spoke to me earlier, it's Tori's dad. Is she here?" Cat asked.

Jade hesitated in giving Cat the giraffe. "We're not done here."

She walked out of the door quickly kissing Beck as she went passed. He sat in the chair next to her bed.

"Yeah, so is André."

"They all came for me? Wow. I guess I do have friends."

Beck frowned at her. "Of course you do. Hey, want to watch Cinderella?"

"Have you got it? We never finished watching it…"

He smiled, pulling the disc out from his pocket. "My mom dropped it off earlier. As well as some pyjamas for you from mine, she said get well soon."

Jade walked along the corridor, the police wanted to meet her in the interview room at the bottom. She heard her phone bleep. She pulled it out frowning at the unknown number.

_Boo._

Jade rolled her eyes at the message and carried on walking. Some kid was messing around.

That's when she was grabbed and the hand was clamped over her mouth.

"Jadey's in trouble."

Beck looked at Cat. Her eyes were still firmly on the screen.

"What?"

"I have a bad feeling," She spoke softly. "She needs you."

**I know I've been updating everyday but now I'm back at school tomorrow, I have to work around that and all of my activities so from now on, I probably won't be updating Wednesdays but I should still update most nights. Sorry! Blame school… Much love, ChasingMidnight/Jodie.**


	13. Black Roses, Get Well Soon

Chapter thirteen.

Tori and André were writing another song like usual. Robbie had gone to fetch Cat some flowers and colouring books. Beck walked in, his face tired and upset.

"Have you seen Jade?"

"Nope, sorry dude," André sighed.

"Hey Beck, Trina rang earlier, why did she find Danny in the boot of her car?"

Beck ignored Tori and walked straight back out.

"What's got him?" André thought aloud.

Tori shrugged. "Must be hospitals, they give me the creeps."

"Why?"

"Just the idea of the blood, I'm traumatised after the whole Robbie situation."

André laughed and sang a cheesy song with his guitar about how Tori was a wimp blissfully unaware of the hell that was about to break loose.

…

She looked around her once she'd regained consciousness. The smell of sickly sweetness clung to the back of her throat. She was bleeding. The walls were still the same sad shade of grey so she knew she hadn't left the hospital but where she was in the building, she had no idea. She stared at the small room; she decided it was a supply closet. She knew she was alone. She also knew her phone was long gone. He was gone again but the door was locked, she knew that without even trying. He was going to try and kill her again. Second time lucky, she laughed at the whole thing. He would keep trying and trying until he succeeded.

Sick. That's what he was. He was going to try to fix the mistake even if he killed 1000 people before he succeeded.

…

"Don't be ridiculous, Cat. Jade will be fine. She's probably gone with Robbie."

"I'm not so sure, Beck. Jade wouldn't leave knowing the police haven't caught him."

Beck sat back down. "She's probably with Tori and André."

"Don't lie to me, Beck, whatever you do. Don't pretend," Cat spoke in a serious tone.

"I know I just didn't want to worry you, Kitten."

She smiled at him but not fully. Not the usual Cat smile though. "So are you two back together now or just friends with benefits?"

Beck rolled his eyes. "Together. I wouldn't use her like that."

"I know you wouldn't but I needed to check that this bullet was good for something!"

He laughed at her but the fear started to creep in.

"Can you call her? I just need to know she's okay."

"Of course I can," He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Cat twiddled his thumbs.

"Who bought you the flowers?" Beck nodded to the vase full of black roses as he paced the floor trying to call Jade. "Interesting colour choice, I'll give them that."

"I don't know. The nurse brought them in for me. I thought they were from Jade being that colour…"

Beck frowned. "Haven't you read the card?"

"She didn't pass it me, said something about a security breech," Cat shrugged.

He walked over and quickly scanned the card then passed it to Cat.

_You like games, don't you Cat? Well, maybe you could find Jade in this little treasure hunt before midday tomorrow or she'll fade away and her blood will be on your hands._

Cat looked at Beck wide eyed. "Why's he aiming this at me?"

"He knows you can't do anything about it."

She sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"We aren't going to do anything, you are going to stop here and keep resting, and I'm going to find Jade."

"Beck, I'm coming with you. I know what he's like. You've never met him. Jade always made sure of that because she knew you'd be safer."

"But why didn't she tell me her brother was a psychopath?!" Beck shouted, his hands resting on his head.

"She wanted to protect you, idiot."

"I could have stopped him hurting you two."

Cat chuckled and shook her head. "We haven't go time for this. We need to find Jade."

"Cat…"

"No Beck. I'm coming with you and that's the end of it."

Beck stared at her and gave in. "But how? You can't walk yet."

"There's a wheelchair in the wardrobe, it's what they're using later to take me to the shower."

"What about your drip and pain relief?" Beck asked.

"It has wheels, Beck."

He fetched the wheelchair and set it up the side her drip was. Cat pulled the covers back. She put her arms in the air then arched her knees.

"What?"

"I can't walk to it so you'll have to lift me."

He hesitated and gently picked her up. "It's just like the time you broke your leg and I had to carry you to the nearest bus."

"People thought we were getting married."

Beck sat her down in the chair being extremely careful of her stomach. Her gown rode up at the side revealing her red hip.

"Cat, what happened to your hip?"

"Where was the interview room?" Cat said ignoring his question and replacing it with her own.

"Answer me Cat."

"We haven't got time for this, Jade needs us," She wrapped her hand around the drip pole.

He began pushing the wheelchair out of the door. "You can't ignore my questions forever."

"I can try it. Now where is the room? We have to find her, Beck."

He broke into a run down the corridor, luckily no one was around.

Cat stared at the floor beneath her. "Beck, stop!"

"Why?" He halted.

"Look at the floor."

A trail of black flower petals was swirling behind them, in front of them there was a neat trail ready to follow.

"He's sick," Beck hit the handles with his palms. He continued pushing her down the hall, swinging her around the corner as quickly as he could.

The corridor was long and didn't end for what felt like hours. Every second tripled itself then clung onto the hope of not fading into the past.

Beck stopped just outside the interview room, so abruptly Cat nearly cried out in pain.

"It's my jacket…"

Beck frowned as he approached it. "Jade borrowed it from your closet; her top was covered in blood…"

He bent down and slowly picked it up. It was still warm. He hugged it to his chest. A note crashed to the floor from it. Beck looked at Cat knowing it would be some mind game.

"Read it," Cat whispered.

Beck picked it up from the floor in a swift movement. He was silent for a minute.

"Cat, did you notice?"

"Notice what?"

"The blood, the pool of blood where this was," Beck pulled the jumper away to reveal the freshly blood stained top.

Cat's eyes widened. Tears fell thick and fast from her eyes. "The note, what does it say?"

He shook his head and passed it to her, a lump forming in his throat.

_Oh look! Caterina found the first clue! How you got here, I don't seem to care, but it's probably too late. Your pathetic attempt may not be good enough. However, feel free to carry on the game. Enjoy the blood, it's Jadelyn's. By the time you find her, she'll have bled to death. What a painful way to go._

It was only Cat dared to look down to the pool of blood. Her hand clasped over her mouth. This must have been what it was like for Jade to cradle her body the early hours of the morning. Just now, Cat didn't have her best friend to even mutter words of comfort to.

Cat took his hand despite the blood.

"We'll find her."

"But will she be dead or alive?" He asked in a harrowing voice.


	14. Getting There

Chapter fourteen.

Tori looked up at the door. Why hadn't Cat asked to see them yet?

Her father appeared in the door way. "Thank God you're safe, Tori. There's been a breach."

"Hello Officer Vega," André said hoping to continue his good impression on her father.

"Hey André," He replied offhandedly. "Tori, you need to get out of here,"

"But dad, what about Cat, Jade and Beck?"

"They'll be moved out too, come on. Take André back to ours and finish whatever this is at home," Officer Vega gestured for them to move out with him.

He was yet to know those very three would be the centre of the whole travesty?

…

"What do we do now?" Beck asked still clutching the hoodie.

"We have to find her, we keep going."

"But where, Cat?"

She hesitated. "Follow his stupid game, it's the only way."

"But he's sick in the head."

"Beck, we don't have a choice. Every minute we spend arguing is a minute she's missing."

He sighed in agreement. "So where now?"

"Up. He always has the upper hand. This is what he's trying to tell us," She pointed to the arrow marked in red. She didn't really want to think about him finger painting the walls with Jade's blood.

Cat ripped the drip out of her hand with a sharp shot of pure agony.

"You need the pain relief!" Beck shouted in astonishment.

"I also need my best friend, I can only have one if we're going to have a chance of being quiet. Go figure which option I'm going with."

Beck rolled his eyes. Cat just crossed her arms and tried to ignore the new, throbbing pain in her hand. He began pushing her to the lift quickly, praying they hadn't knocked out the power.

He spoke as he ran. "You look like Jade when you do that, you remind me of her sometimes."

"I've known her too long," She laughed but her eyes did not light up like they would usually.

"And I love her too much, even if she did call my hair stupid."

Cat shook her head slowly. "You remind me of her with your grudges."

"What can I say? It's rubbing off on me."

He frantically pushed the lift button. The arrow lit up; at least that was a good sign.

"Come on, come on," He muttered under his breath.

The doors opened and another clue awaited them. He pushed Cat into the lift. The doors closed behind them. He grabbed the clue and read the scripted card.

"What's it say?" Cat spoke trying to take her mind off the pain seeping through her weak body.

"_Congratulations, Caterina, you understood the clue and selected the correct method of transport. By now, I expect the police are surrounding this place like wasps to a hive. So you'll have to move faster Caterina. How you've made it this far is possibly a fluke. I suppose I should reward you for getting this far into my little treasure hunt. Jadelyn's ring. It'll be of some sort of sentimental value to you, I'm sure. Happy hunting." _Beck spoke the words like each left a bitter after taste.

Cat looked up and found the ring dangling from a pale pink checked with white shoe lace. It was attached to the ceiling of the lift. Beck gently pulled it down.

"It's her lace," He confirmed Cat's trail of thoughts. He took Cat's hand and slipped the ring onto her right hand ring finger. "It's the ring I bought her for our first anniversary."

She shook her head violently in protest. "I can't wear it. It belongs to her."

"For safe keeping, please Cat?"

She didn't reply.

"She never took it off, she must have put up one hell of a fight for it," Beck laughed but with no humour just pain and worry. Angst found its way into his mind and filled his every thought with doubt. It dawned on him that she was too weak to fight back. The thought tried to overpower his hope.

"Jade always said once you saw the real Beck, you could read every emotion from you like an open book. She was right; you are easy to read once you decode your defences."

Beck raised his eyebrow. "She said that? That's rich coming from a girl who disappears when she's upset."

The doors opened. Beck realised what he'd said and silently pushed Cat through the doors again.

"I didn't mean to say it like that…" Beck admitted.

"I know you didn't, Beck," She frowned at the three ways they had option of.

Beck looked down each of them. He spoke frantically. "Any idea of to which one?"

"Which way is it to the roof?"

"The sign says that way," He pointed down the corridor to their left.

"That's as close as he can get to the upper hand…"

She hadn't even finished when Beck began heading in that direction. He ran like his own life depended on it, it did in fact, Jade was his life. He slammed the lift harder in panic.

Cat curled over in pain as the medication wore off quicker. She was aware of every stitch in her body, every scratch, every brutal message the experience had left her.

"Cat? Are you okay?" Beck queried.

She nodded lightly. "I'm fine, just the meds are failing me."

They boarded the next lift.

"I told you we needed the drip."

"It's not the time to argue who was right, Beck."

They found the next floor. Running towards the next lift, the floor was covered in a trail of blood. Cat pointed to it as they moved. Beck followed her gaze to the splatters. But that wasn't all.

Beck didn't need Cat to point out the next thing to him.

…

**I thought I'd give you a bit of a future chapter because I'm a giving person and I feel you deserve this little insight because: a) you've stuck with it for this long which I am INCREDIBLY thankful for and would hug every single one of you but I can't travel the world that fast and b) Dan posted a hint to what a future episode on YouTube so I'll jump on the bandwagon and give you a section of some future chapter. I say some because I have no idea which chapter it shall appear in… –ChasingMidnight.**

A future chapter.

Tori stood behind the police tape gripping onto André's hand so tight he was convinced she would break it. She couldn't believe what had happened. A shower of gun shots and it was over quicker than an April shower except from the last shot which played out alone like the closing note of a song. About 20 minutes had passed between it happening, the police and SWAT teams had moved in. A helicopter hovered above them.

"Where are they?"

"Relax Tori; they were probably in Cat's room blissfully unaware any of this was happening," André soothed. He wasn't even convincing himself so he knew she wasn't taking any notice, her mind would be running away with itself.

"They might be being transferred to another hospital; I wonder if that's where they are. Or they're still in the isolation wing."

Tori's eyes found her father, she ran towards him dragging André behind her.

"Dad! Dad!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. The crowd of people split as she ran.

Her dad saw her and opened his arms. She ran straight into them, never letting go of André's hand.

"Dad, what's happened?"

He gave her a sorry look. "There are six people involved."

"What aren't you telling me dad?"

He hesitated. "I'm sorry, baby. I really am. But there are two bodies."

Tori's body drained of all heat. She wanted to cry, scream, shout. Instead she collapsed to the floor, her legs giving up on holding her. André fell with her and cradled her body in his arms, wrapping them tight around her as she sobbed.

"Who is it?" Tori cried. "Who is it?"

She pictured Cat coming out of the building, tears streaming down her face; she would have lost her two best friends.

Or it could be Beck silently finding his way back to them without the two girls he cared for most in life.

Maybe Jade stumbling out of the doors having to face the prospect of life without the love of her life and the girl she thought of as family.

"Two bodies, two," Tori repeated it over and over into André's shirt. "Two of them are dead."


	15. This was it

Chapter fifteen.

Robbie hummed to himself as he walked back towards the hospital from the car lot. He had bought Cat a present, one to prove how much he loved her. A silver heart locket with a picture of them together inside, on the back his initials engraved onto it. He knew she'd be annoyed at him buying her something just for being in a hospital bed but he had to. He knew how she admired Jade's ring that Beck had bought for her. Robbie could tell how she would be annoyed at him but seconds later she would be wearing it with a smile. He couldn't wait for her to beg to show the others and tell her parents the good news of their relationship. That was a thing; he stared down at his watch, 7pm. Her parents would be here later tonight. What would they say? Would they like the idea? He hoped they wouldn't be as opposed to it as his mammaw, she was not happy about him dating the 'girl who hated her mother'. He didn't care what anyone thought. He loved her; she loved him and what else mattered?

The hospital came into view. People littered around the building. What had happened?

"Tori, André, what's happening?"

They looked at him and shrugged. "We don't know."

Robbie found his phone and pulled it out to call Beck.

"No point, their phones are all off."

"So what do we do?" Robbie asked.

"I guess we sit and wait."

…

Beck dropped the handles of the wheelchair.

"You think…?"

Cat nodded.

He left Cat a few metres away, he didn't want her to see it. He knew she could see it all but he needed to feel like he could protect her from something.

He thought about the day he made that promise to her and Jade. They were 8 years old in Cat's back yard playing princesses and knights. Beck had just rescued her from the great dragon that was Jade. Princess Cat was scared about if a real dragon ever took her, she would be alone and scared. Jade told her she was being silly but eventually even she thought that a dragon would swoop down and take her far away. Beck promised that he would always protect them both from dragons. Even though now their dragons were bigger than their picture book fantasies, Beck refused to stop trying to fight their dragons for them as long as he lived he would never stop.

His eyes protested against looking down. The smell of blood hung in the air. He could hear Cat's broken breathing pattern. He was only a couple of feet away from her. Not Cat, but from Twilight.

She was laid on her side. Her back was facing Cat, thankfully. Beck walked around to her front, her face was pale. Her lipstick was smeared across her face, which was his first thought, but then he realised what it really was. Her eyes were wide open. They had a glass quality to them like a doll from Cat's room. He knew she was dead but he still bent down and checked for the pulse of her heart that had stop beating a while ago.

He mumbled to the nurse. "I'm sorry, Twilight."

"Why did you call her Twilight?" Cat called over.

"Something she said to Jade earlier this morning."

"Oh."

"Come on, we've still got to get up to the roof," Beck walked back to Cat.

They continued along the corridor.

"Beck?"

He didn't reply to her, concentrating on getting her past Twilight without giving her too many nightmares.

"Do you think he's…?"

"Cat don't you even dare think like that, okay?"

He found the last lift that stated no patients should be taken beyond that point. He waited for it to arrive but it never did.

"We'll have to take the stairs."

"How can we?" Cat asked. "I can't walk."

"I'll have to carry you again," He replied quickly as he tried to locate the stair well.

"We're missing something."

"What do you mean, Cat?"

"There hasn't been a clue on this level," She sighed. "He works in patterns; he likes things to be repetitive. Like every first Tuesday, he would come and find both of us and every third Friday he would get Jade alone. We've missed the clue for this level."

Beck clenched his fists around the handles at the very thought of what he did to them every time. Each bruise, broken bone, cut was all him.

"Twilight, he's put it with her," Cat decided. "He's making it harder for us each level."

Beck span around with Cat and ran back towards the poor nurse.

"First there was the jacket and the blood, second there was the ring knowing she'd never take it off and then the body. He's proving to us that when we get up there, it's not going to be pretty," Cat explained knowing Beck's mind would be too wrapped up within itself to comprehend the complexity of the clues.

"You're telling me, I never thought he would have unicorns and chocolates in mind."

Cat folded her arms, forgetting how much it would hurt to do so, and sulked.

Beck sensed her sulkiness as he moved swiftly along the corridor.

"What did I say now?"

"There was no need to be sarcastic."

He sighed. "I'm sorry for everything."

"Why for everything?"

"If I hadn't have let Jade go alone to the police, this wouldn't have happened. In fact no, if I'd have been on time last night and if I'd have stopped assuming you both could fall down the same flight of stairs some Tuesdays."

He stopped next to Twilight. Bending down again, he began to search the nurse for the clue.

"Don't you dare blame yourself Beck Oliver!" Cat shouted at him the loudest she could.

Her body ached, a throbbing pain spread through her but she couldn't pin point the agony.

Beck stared at his best friend. He had never heard her scream so loudly. He snapped back into movement, searching madly for the slip of paper.

"Her hand, it's in her hand. The one marked with an x."

He unfurled the cooling hand and took the scrap of paper out.

"How did you…?"

"Treasure hunt, x marks the spot in every case…" Cat began. "Never mind, read it."

"_Wow, you are beginning to impress me Caterina! I admire your determination, well, I would if I could. You're only a level away from the roof but the stairs are your only option. Oh dear. Again, I feel this is your ultimate test. Are you willing to face all that pain twice in 24 hours? We'll see. Jadelyn is begging me to stop luring you up to save her. Poor thing. I think you deserve another prize!" _Beck read each word as if each pierced his heart.

"Try her other hand."

Beck pulled a note out of it. "It's got your name on."

He handed it to her selfishly wishing it was for him.

Cat straightened out the tear stained, crinkled paper.

_Babe, Everyone Can Kick their chance In Life but Overall Very few people actually Even spend their lives doing the things they love whilst they are Young, Outrageous and Energetic.  
Please don't come after me, Cat. I had fun in my 17 years. Pass on my message to my world. I love you, you freakishly weird red head._

She passed the note to Beck. He read it quickly.

"What the hell is she on with?"

"It's an encrypted code. Every capital is part of a word. She's trying to say Beck I love you. She's making sure he doesn't know you're with me or that you exist at all. That's what the 'my world' part is about. The message is for you. You didn't think she'd forget you, did you?"

He laughed a little at himself and at the brilliant red head in front of him.

"Since when did you get so smart?"

"Since when did I have a chance to show it?"

Beck pocketed the note and veered towards the stairs. They made it probably in record time. Beck didn't even bother to ask if Cat was okay with him picking her up and taking her up the staircase.

Each movement was a step closer to Jade. Beck could barely feel the weight of Cat. It was like her thoughts were balloons, each lifting her a little higher into the air and soon one idea too many would let her float away. She thought of Robbie, what would he say if he found out Jade's brother had made her go on this wild goose chase?

"Cat, I'm going to need you to walk."

"What?" She whispered back.

"He can't know I'm here. Not yet at least. I need to find something to…"

Cat nodded. "Put me down here. I think I can make it the rest of the way."

They were a few steps short of the door.

"Beck?"

"If this doesn't go the way we hope, can you tell Robbie I'm sorry and that I love him?"

Beck opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. He wasn't going to make any more promises he couldn't keep like his 8 year-old-self did.

"And I love you too Beck."

He nodded. "I love you too, Cat."

She took a deep breath and Beck ducked out of sight.

She opened the door. Dragging herself through it, she pressed it firmly shut behind her.

"I really am impressed Cat."

Cat grimaced.

This was it.


	16. Hitting Memory Lane And Back Again

Chapter sixteen.

"I hope you found my game fun," He walked over to her. "Here, let me help you."

He picked her up swiftly and carried her further onto the roof.

She couldn't push him away; her body had grown too weak for any forceful movements or sudden reactions. She wanted to sleep.

"Jadelyn, I guess pain is worth suffering for you as far as Caterina is concerned. You'll have to thank her."

Cat searched for Jade, her eyes wandering frantically over the roof. Her eyes found her. Jade's hands were bound with rags and wrapped around the pole that kept the shelter up.

"It was a nice idea to have an area of fresh air with a roof for relatives, don't you agree?" He spoke generally.

Cat frowned as he put her down next to Jade. Where was Jade's spicy attitude? Her rebellious streak? There would have usually have been a sarcastic comment to follow a statement like that but nothing. Silence.

"Jade?" Cat's voice hitched.

Silence. Her head remained in the same sad pose leant against the pole.

"Oh, she won't reply to you, Caterina. I'm teaching her to have the manners she so lacked."

Cat crawled the distance between them. She stroked Jade's cheek. She flinched away from her.

"Please Jade, speak to me."

Her brother sighed and walked over to his 'camp' he'd set up under the shelter with all of his weapons and a bottle of water. He sat, still watching them but out of ear shot.

"Cat…"

"Are you okay, are you hurt?"

Jade shook her head.

"He's here."

Jade's head shot up. She knew who Cat meant.

"He's somewhere safe."

Her face flushed with relief. "I told you not to come up here."

"Jade, since when do I listen to anything I'm told to do?"

"You always do as I tell you."

Cat gave a quite laugh. "I wasn't going to drag myself here then think 'Oh wait, Jade told me not to rescue her' and turn back. I'm not going to let him win."

Jade closed her eyes, it was only then Cat noticed the emerging bruises on her face and arms.

"The blood on the first level, where was it from?"

Her voice was raspy and low. "He was going to kill me there and then but he decided scaring you would be much more fun. He cut my stomach but went back on his decision so he used some blood bags instead."

"I thought you'd be dead…"

Jade turned her face away from Cat's sorry expression. "Don't Cat, I can't think of you like that."

Cat didn't stop. She couldn't. It was the door opening on all of her fears she'd crammed into the closet in hope they wouldn't fall out one day.

"I just kept thinking of life without you, Jadey. I couldn't face a life without you. I know you're mad at me sometimes because I annoy you and have bad timing…"

"Cat," Jade said. "Please don't act like I don't care about you. You annoy me, yeah, but I'm never mad at you. I'm always mad at myself because I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you when I was upset after Beck. I shouldn't have used you as a verbal punch bag."

Cat shrugged. "I didn't mind. I just hated seeing you so upset, Jadey. You were so distant."

Jade choked on her words. "I'm sorry."

"For what, Jadey? You took the break up hard; it's not your fault."

"No, I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me most."

Cat averted her gaze.

"Look, Cat, I know I'm not ideal to talk to about problems. But I hope you do know you could if you wanted to. Maybe Tori would be better to talk to…"

"Jade. No. I don't want to tell Tori. I want to talk to you and Beck but it's hard to find the words to tell you about what it's like. I thought it wasn't important but then I realised I had a problem and that it wasn't going away."

"I'm sorry, Cat. I'm sorry I'm difficult, that I insult you, the fact I forget your birthday until Beck tells me a weekend before. I'm sorry for being such a pathetic best friend."

Cat turned to her, ignoring the soreness that surrounded her body, and placed her hands over Jade's.

"Stop apologising for who you are, Jadey. I don't need you to be sorry for being you. I never apologise for spilling coffee over you bed or how many times I have ruined a date of yours."

Jade smiled faintly.

"Thanks for being here with me, Cat."

"Nowhere I'd rather be right now in this world. Except maybe with morphine and Mr Purple too…"

"I do love you Cat," She shook her head and smiled.

"It's like the time you took me to that haunted house and made me have a sleepover there with you for the night, remember?"

Jade nodded. "We were about 14, right?"

"I think so," Cat said. "You decided that the house was haunted because you heard noises from downstairs…"

"Turns out it was an old couples house. I can't say mom has ever forgiven me for that."

"She had to go over and apologise to them with homemade muffins and cocoa," Cat smiled.

"They never asked how we got in. That was going to my favourite part of explaining," Jade sighed.

Cat couldn't help but roll her eyes at it. "The zip wire you made Beck attach for us to the roof because he was the only one that dared to use the ladder. How that thing never broke was beyond me. Is it still there?"

Jade shook her head. "No, mom made me break it down so they wouldn't think I'd try again."

"Oh, that's sad."

"I miss the days I actually loved the world."

Cat frowned at Jade. "Then why did you stop?"

"I saw the ugliness of the world and how people can be sometimes."

"So do I at times but that doesn't mean I hate the world. I just think of things that make it better again. Like you, Beck, Robbie, Tori, André, giraffes, sparkles. Get the idea?"

Jade tilted her head. "You say what you like until you're happy again?"

"Uh-huh," Cat smiled back at Jade. "It's really easy and makes you smile."

"So mine would be you, scissors, black, hair dye, Beck," She paused. "I wish Beck was here now."

"I wish Robbie was here too."

They hadn't even noticed Jade's brother stood in front of them.

"That's touching, really, really touching. I'm sorry girls but things will have to happen fast now," He pointed upwards to the helicopter that was hovering above them out of sight. Under the roof, they couldn't see them, not yet. "So, Caterina and Jadelyn, are we ready for the closing ceremony?"

"What? No!" Jade cried. "Let Cat go, you've already shot her once."

"I'm sorry Jadelyn but she's made it clear she's staying by your side, so best friends that play together must die together."

Beck's head poked over the window in the door just in time to see the large gun in his hand.


	17. How He Planned

Chapter seventeen.

"Jadelyn, your actions have consequences, you must learn that."

"What do you mean?!" Jade couldn't keep herself restrained anymore.

"You broke my parents up, Jadelyn. It was your entire fault. They were happy before you was born."

Cat frowned as Beck opened the door slowly. "How was that Jade's fault?"

"She was always the problem," He continued waving around the gun, ignoring Cat's interruption. "She ruined everything; she was a kid from Hell."

"Go to Hell," Jade sniggered.

He laughed. "You can't stand it when you aren't in control. Don't you want to know why Caterina is involved?"

Jade dropped her gaze.

"You're learning quickly now, Jadelyn," He smiled, tapping the gun into his palm. "Caterina was always there. She would always take the fall for you; mom wouldn't get angry at her so you let her do it. So I'm teaching you a lesson, I'm teaching you both a lesson, Jadelyn cannot hide behind her friends forever and Caterina cannot let Jadelyn use you so much."

"Why is that such a bad thing?" Cat asked her voice barely above a whisper.

"Jadelyn has to learn life won't be handed to her on a plate."

Jade closed her eyes. "Since when has my life ever been yours to play God with?"

"I'm not as you put it so simply. I'm helping you, can't you see?"

"You're aiming a gun at me, you shot my best friend and you're crazy!" Jade screamed pulling at the rags around her wrist.

He fired the gun at the bags of blood he'd strung up. One exploded, showering them with red.

He exhaled calmly. "I will not be spoken to like that. You broke my family up."

"OUR family, it's our family."

He shot another bag. "No."

"I didn't do anything, they just weren't happy together."

He sighed and shot another bag. "Accept responsibility Jadelyn."

"Why should I? It's not my fault our parents divorced," She replied matching his tone.

He shook his head and aimed at the final bag. "I thought we'd made progress, Jadelyn."

The bullet broke through the plastic quickly. Another set of splatters rested in the surrounding areas.

"Last chance to admit what you did, Jadelyn, otherwise it's game over."

She rolled her head back. "Finally the bullet that will end this, you always made things so much longer than needed."

He changed his aim from her heart to her stomach. "Oh, your comments are so flattering."

"Go ahead, fire away."

"No, Jadey, no," Cat begged her to keep quiet. She caught sight of Beck coming closer from the corner of her eye. Jade saw him too, her eyes hovering a second too long.

Her brother span around to see Beck, his smile became welcoming. "Oh, we have company! I take it that this is the hero of our story."

The movement was so perfected, so quick that even Beck didn't register him moving towards him and wrapping an arm around his neck. He placed the gun gently next to his head.

"I'm sorry about this, you probably hoped you'd rescue them and be home in time for tea."

Beck shifted uncomfortably at the gun resting on his skull.

"So, Jadelyn, care to introduce me? Don't try to lie to me, I believe I have the power to kill him right here, right now."

Jade hesitated. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight before her. She had caused this in some twisted way.

"He's my boyfriend."

"Oh," He smiled with pleasure. "Maybe he can help change your mind and get you to admit what you've done."

Her brother hit Beck squarely on the back of the head with the handle of the gun. He hit him, again and again and again and again. He kicked Beck down to the floor. Beck was a strong guy but the blow to the head left him disorientated.

"No! No! Beck! Please stop!" Jade began sobbing. "I'm sorry, it was me. I broke them up. I'm evil and I'm the reason they're divorced."

He stood back from Beck. "Jadelyn, at last, you've realised. I knew you just needed to realise."

Cat looked at Jade who was still crying unable to go to Beck's aid. She crawled over to him. He was conscious. Bloody and bruising but he was alive. Cat ripped a section of her hospital gown and used it as a cloth to wipe away the blood from Beck's injuries. She gently unravelled a layer of her own bandages and began wrapped his arm against his chest, attempting to make a sling. He looked ready to pass out. He couldn't see straight. Her brother had done this to both of them at some point, was this how they felt? He questioned himself.

"Jealous yet, Jadelyn? You were awful with jealously as a child. She's stealing your job. She also took your bullet. Wow, isn't she a good friend?" He laughed as he watched intently.

She didn't reply. Instead she wiped her tears on her arm and gave a little thanks to Cat in her head.

"It's broken," Cat sighed. "They'll have to put a cast on it later but try not to move it for now."

"Has Dr Valentine finished with the patient yet?" Jade's brother sighed impatiently.

Cat nodded solemnly. She crawled slowly back to Jade; flinching as the pain grew too much.

"Now, I guess there's only one thing left to do," He smiled again. "Get rid of the evidence."

"What do you mean?" Beck asked obviously not realising or seeing the glint in his eye.

"I can't be found up here with you alive, you'll have to be dead. My story I tell the police will be that Jadelyn couldn't control her anger at the fact you have been seeing Caterina behind her back so in a fit of rage dragged us up here and shot you both. I had to shoot her in self-defence."

"You're messed up," Jade commented.

"I think I'll miss you the least," He replied. "Then Caterina and your boyfriend. They seem to be able to hold their tongues much better than you."

He turned his back to change gun. Jade unravelled her hands. Cat frowned, she hadn't been tied up? Or had she escaped?

Jade saw this as her chance to make things right. She jumped on her brothers back wrestling for the gun in his hands. Shots flew randomly. Jade couldn't see where they were landing. Her brother was putting up a great fight. She kicked her legs into his back. He tried to pull her hands away from his neck. Every time he tried, another bullet flew. She dug her nails into his neck, gripping his hand over the handle. He flashed her a quick smile. He attempted to turn the gun to Jade's head but she managed to twist his wrist at the last minute, the bullet nestling into his chest. Jade jumped back. Her brother fell to the floor. The gun skidded and stopped just in front of Cat and Beck's feet.

"Guys, are you okay?" She walked over to them. "It's okay, he's shot himself."

She got closer. Cat was laid expressionless. Beck was also doing it.

"Beck, Cat, it's not funny."

The pools of red didn't filter into her mind straight away.

She screamed.

She bent down and frantically searched for a pulse from both of them.

They were breathing at least.

Jade tried to calm herself down. She pressed down on the wounds. She needed to stop doing this. Twice in 24 hours, she could hear Beck laughing at her, Cat giving her a small smile.

The police burst in through the doors.

"Put your hands up."

"I can't, they…they need help."

Two paramedics ran forward, followed by another four. They began caring for Cat and Beck. A pair ran over to her brother but she already knew he was dead.

The police called. "Now, hands up."

Jade put her hands up, the blood trickling down her hands.

"This one is gone," The paramedic called from the side of her brother.

"We're arresting you on suspicion of murder and two accounts of attempted murder."

"What?" Jade cried. "No…it wasn't me."

This was exactly how he wanted it.


	18. Hold Me Closer

Chapter eighteen.

**I apologise that the interview probably won't be accurate but I am trying… -ChasingMidnight.**

Tori stood behind the police tape gripping onto André's hand so tight he was convinced she would break it. She couldn't believe what had happened. A shower of gun shots and it was over quicker than an April shower except from the last shot which played out alone like the closing note of a song. About 20 minutes had passed between it happening, the police and SWAT teams had moved in. A helicopter hovered above them.

"Where are they?"

"Relax Tori; they were probably in Cat's room blissfully unaware any of this was happening," André soothed. He wasn't even convincing himself so he knew she wasn't taking any notice, her mind would be running away with itself.

"They might be being transferred to another hospital; I wonder if that's where they are. Or they're still in the isolation wing."

Tori's eyes found her father, she ran towards him dragging André behind her.

"Dad! Dad!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. The crowd of people split as she ran.

Her dad saw her and opened his arms. She ran straight into them, never letting go of André's hand.

"Dad, what's happened?"

He gave her a sorry look. "There are six people involved."

"What aren't you telling me dad?"

He hesitated. "I'm sorry, baby. I really am. But there are two bodies."

Tori's body drained of all heat. She wanted to cry, scream, shout. Instead she collapsed to the floor, her legs giving up on holding her. André fell with her and cradled her body in his arms, wrapping them tight around her as she sobbed.

"Who is it?" Tori cried. "Who is it?"

She pictured Cat coming out of the building, tears streaming down her face; she would have lost her two best friends.

Or it could be Beck silently finding his way back to them without the two girls he cared for most in life.

Maybe Jade stumbling out of the doors having to face the prospect of life without the love of her life and the girl she thought of as family.

"Two bodies, two," Tori repeated it over and over into André's shirt. "Two of them are dead."

…

They were rushed down to surgery; it was all a blur to Jade, all of it.

The police took her down to the interview room despite her cries for Beck and Cat. They sat her down as if she was dangerous. They began the tape.

"So, your name is Jadelyn West, correct?"

She nodded to the fierce looking guy opposite her.

"I need verbal confirmation."

She sounded as broken as she looked. "Yes."

"Did you or did not shoot the three victims on the roof and the nurse inside the building?"

"No, I didn't shoot anyone."

The cop leaned back. "Well who did?"

"My brother the…deceased one," Her blood ran cold. He was really gone.

"What happened?"

She recounted the events previously, the past 24 hours spilt out into the air. Jade barely spoke above a whisper, quiet in case he wasn't dead and was lurking somewhere in the room.

The cop stared at her doubting the story.

"Why would I try to kill my best friends?" She pleaded for him to understand.

"Maybe you found out they were having some fling behind your back? Your temper got too much and you shot them both."

Jade slammed the table. "No, no. You have it all wrong. My brother wanted to kill me. He failed last night so decided he'd be better trying again today on the roof. He wanted to show Cat she couldn't stop him again. Beck…" Her voice hitched as she let out a sob. "Beck helped Cat get up to the roof and wanted to protect us… you have to believe me."

The cop sighed. "It does say in the police files your brother, Mr West, has a record of violence and he was being man hunted for the shooting last night."

"See? You cannot tell me that I shot my best friends."

"You're currently the only witness we have, but you're also a suspect," He rubbed his forehead.

Jade placed her head in her hands. "I can see what it looks like from where you're stood but you just have to wait until they wake up."

"That's what we shall do but that'll have to wait until the morning. Now Miss West, would you like a ride home?" He replied, reading her the rights she had as a suspect. They flew straight over her head.

"No, I need to stay here."

"I think you would be best going home to your mother," The cop told her.

"I want to be here for them, it's my fault they're here, if that nut job wasn't my brother…" Jade sighed deeply.

"You can't choose your family," He laughed at his own joke.

Jade stared at him. An innocent nurse was dead, her boyfriend was in theatre and her best friend was having surgery for the second time in 24 hours, how could he possibly joke?

…

"Tori, sweetheart, you can make your way back inside now," Her father took her free hand. "The threat has cleared."

"Are they okay?" The only question she had only been able to ask.

Officer Vega smiled at her. "Cat and Beck are in surgery, they should be fine. Jade is being interviewed now."

"Who…?" Robbie pushed his hair back.

"A nurse and Jade's brother," He replied.

André hugged Tori in relief. They all felt selfish for celebrating the fact it wasn't any of their friends.

"We should go back to the family room," Tori sighed.

"I told you all to go back to ours."

She frowned at her father. "Like we could do that when we didn't know what was happening."

"You have school tomorrow, Tori. You should go home and get some sleep, all of you."

They all stared at each other.

"You two go, I need to be here for Cat," Robbie said.

"Are you sure? We don't mind staying with you," André offered.

He nodded. "You two make sure the gossip is kept under control, Cat will get upset if…"

"We know, Robbie, we'll do our best," Tori smiled. "I'll give you a ride home, André."

"I better get back to work," Officer Vega turned to Tori. "Tell your mother I'll be home about midnight."

She nodded and walked away with André at her side.

…

The world outside grew dark. Jade watched it intently from the room that would soon be Beck's.

"Thought I'd find you in here," Robbie called to her from the door frame.

Jade shrugged. "They think I did it."

"You mean, they think you shot them?"

"That's what I just said."

Robbie walked closer to Jade who was sat in the window frame.

"That's a crazy idea."

"Go tell the cops that. They've decided I'm just a suspect until they wake up and tell their side."

He leaned against the wall next to her. "I'm sorry they think that."

She brushed her hair back from her cheek. "What time is it?"

He glanced down at his watch. "It's just gone 1am."

"What I'd give to be sleeping now."

"I'm just going to sleep in Cat's room; her parents are due any time now."

Jade sighed. "I forgot about them coming. How the hell do I explain this to them? They'll never let me near Cat again."

"I think it'll be more fun telling them what happened then saying 'Oh and by the way, I'm dating your daughter!' That could go well," Robbie used his hands to express his point.

Jade laughed. "Rather you than me Robbie. Her parents will be all over you, at least they know you."

He smiled. "I better go back to her room, it's next door if you want anything…"

"Thanks Robbie. I'll be in to see her in the morning; I think you'll have enough people to deal with."

"It's okay, Jade. Where are Beck's parents?"

"Canada, he'll kill me if I tell them before he's awake."

Robbie shook his head. "You're not as bad as you make out, Jade."

"This whole thing has kind of changed my perspective on things. A particular red head told me that you have to see the beauty in the world and I intend on trying for her."

Robbie smiled and turned on his heels then headed out of the door. Jade rested her head on the glass. She stared at the stars. She picked out one and each time she gave a reason to love life. She was alive. Why should she waste that chance?

She counted her reasons until the nurses wheeled Beck in. They hooked him up to various drips and machines. His arm was in plaster instead of Cat's make-shift one. He looked peaceful like a sleeping angel.

"He'll sleep until the sedative wears off," The nurse that had stayed behind explained to her. "If there are any problems just press the buzzer and we'll be right in."

Jade got up and nodded. She hugged herself; she'd taken Beck's checked shirt and put it on to feel closer to him.

"You look so worried, he'll be just fine, Mrs Oliver."

Jade looked up. She thought about correcting the nurse but she liked the way the name sounded.

The nurse smiled and walked out of the room. Jade walked over to the bed. She carefully climbed onto it, lying next to him. She felt better just feeling the heat from his body. She smiled; Beck liked it when she smiled, as she stroked his face.

"I remember when I made you sleep at mine just because I was scared to stay home alone," She laughed. "You called me a chicken but you still stayed."

She took his hand gently minding the various wires.

"It's just me and you now, babe, like it should be."


	19. Sorry And Silence

Chapter nineteen.

"Remember the time you took me to the beach and I complained the whole time? I really enjoyed that day. I mean it. It was lovely. I'm sorry for that too."

It was 10am, Jade had slept for a few hours but eventually she grew too restless to sleep. Instead she'd taken to apologising for everything that she felt she'd done wrong in their relationship.

"And the time I made your family cry at Thanksgiving, I'm sorry about that too."

Beck began to stir, pulling Jade closer to him. His eyes opened, a sleepy glint shone in them.

"What do I have to do to wake up to this sight every morning?" He smiled, his voice was gravelly.

"Obviously end up in hospital more," Jade replied, a smile sneaking onto her face.

Beck groaned. "I forgot I had to be in pain to be here."

"Sleep well?" She asked hoping she hadn't disturbed him.

He screwed his face up. "It's not really sleep, it's like you can hear everything but your mind is sleeping."

Jade blushed realising he'd probably heard everything she'd said.

"You didn't have to apologise for it all, you know."

She sighed. "I haven't even finished."

"You don't need to, I love you for you are and that includes the mistakes you make, Jade."

She ignored him and thought of more situations she'd ruined.

"The day you took me to your grandmother's and I told her the vase was ugly and it turned out to be your grandfather's urn."

Beck tried not to laugh. "She told my mom that you were right and it was ugly so that technically doesn't count."

"The time I made Cat pass out because I kept arguing with you, I didn't mean it," She added.

Beck opened his mouth to argue but she kept pouring out the apologises.

"I'm sorry for the time I let the dog into your RV and nearly killed your dad," She didn't have to think too hard about that one. "I'm sorry that I threw those flowers back at you on Valentine's Day because the check-out girl smiled at you."

"I quite liked the comment you made that day, what was it? 'Just because you're a check-out girl doesn't mean you have to do it to my boyfriend'. It was ingenious," He laughed as he stroked her back.

"I'm sorry I get so jealous."

"It's not your fault," Beck replied staring deep into her eyes.

Jade protested. "No, it is. I should trust you and know that you wouldn't hurt me."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for being jealous, I've given you plenty of reasons not to trust me," Beck admitted.

Jade remained silent for a minute, she buried her head into his chest as she began to cry.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I thought I'd lost you forever."

Beck kissed her hair. "But you haven't, I'm still here."

A nurse entered the room.

"Oh, I haven't interrupted anything, have I?"

Jade climbed off the bed and shook her head wiping her eyes on Beck's shirt.

"Are you sure, Mrs Oliver? I only need to check his heart monitor and drip."

Beck raised an eyebrow at Jade. "Mrs Oliver?"

The nurse turned a bright red colour. "You're not married? I'm sorry, I just assumed, especially after everything that's been going on."

"It's fine, I wouldn't mind being married to her," Beck laughed.

The nurse walked over and began checking everything. "You've perked up; I'm going to take that as a good sign."

"How's Cat? I mean, Caterina. She's in the next room," Jade stumbled over her words.

The nurse kept her face hidden from them. "We can only indulge that information to family."

"Please? She's our best friend," Beck begged.

The nurse turned back to them. "I didn't say this but she isn't as good as Mr Oliver here. She's still out cold. Her parents are beside themselves and the boy hasn't left her side since she got out of surgery."

Jade placed her hand on her forehead.

"It's not your fault, Jade," Beck had read her mind.

"It was my stupid brother!"

The nurse slipped out leaving them to argue. A couple of police officers appeared.

"We need to speak to you, Mr Oliver. Are your parents here?"

"No, they're out of state."

"Are you okay doing this interview without them?" One of them asked.

Beck nodded.

"We'll have to ask you to leave Miss West."

Jade kissed Beck's forehead and walked away slowly.

"Babe?"

She turned around in the door frame.

"I love you."

She smiled faintly. "I love you more."

Jade headed for Cat's room.

"So, you're in a romantic relationship with Miss West?" The taller one enquired.

"We're dating, have been for 3 years."

"A happy relationship or has it been troubled?"

Beck frowned at him. "Happy on the whole but name a relationship that hasn't encountered problems."

"So you haven't ever had a romantic connection with Caterina Valentine?"

"Once but that was a year or so ago, Jade was fine about it. They're like sisters."

The smaller one glanced down at his list. "Would Miss West ever hold a grudge and perhaps lure you into a trap?"

"Are you crazy? Jade would never hurt either of us."

"So who shot you on the roof?"

"Why couldn't you just ask that straight out?" Beck was becoming irritated. "Jade's brother shot us. He fired shots at the blood bags then he threatened to shot Jade. He attacked me then as Jade tried to stop him from shooting us all, he shot us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure my girlfriend didn't try to kill me!" Beck shouted.

…

"Beck sounds upset," Robbie flinched as the sound echoed from the room next door.

Jade shut her eyes. Cat's parents had gone to get some sleep. Her own parents had been told not to come, she couldn't face them being here cluttering up the place like spare parts.

"They probably hit him with the theory I shot them."

"They're still going with that?"

"Well, I guess they will until Cat wakes up. Unless Beck is enough for them to realise I'm not some crazed girl with a gun."

Robbie looked so tired.

"Can I just say you look like someone hit you with a plank of wood?"

"Thanks Jade. I haven't slept. I didn't want her to be alone."

Jade smiled at his dedication. "Go and sleep. I'll stay with her."

Robbie hesitated, he was torn between sleep and his precious Cat.

"I'll call you if she wakes up."

"Are you sure?"

Jade glanced down to the red head.

"I'm sure; I need to do something useful."

He nodded. "Thanks Jade but promise me you will ring."

"Cross my heart," She smiled.

Robbie smiled back as he left for the family room.

Jade gently took Cat's pale hand.

"I'm so sorry, Cat. It was never supposed to be like this."

Jade had never felt so weak, so helpless, so pathetic. She'd caused this. If her brother hadn't have hated her so much. If she had locked the door so Cat couldn't have followed her out. If she hadn't of called the emergency sleepover, maybe she would be safe.

The room was filled with 'if's and 'maybe's. Jade could have picked more out of the air given chance.

No, she couldn't think like that. No. She had to be positive. She'd promised Cat she would try and love the world. She reeled off as many answers as she could about the world, Beck and then she began on reasons she loved Cat.

"I love how you make 3 wishes on stars, I love how you dyed your hair red because of cupcakes, I love the fact you're alive."


	20. Closer To Home

Chapter twenty.

**Guys, I'm really sorry, I'm aware my writing is rubbish and that I'm probably the worst writer on here but I'm trying. I promise I am really trying. I'm not having a great time at the moment with personal problems and I use this as a vent. My moods are often reflected within chapters and yeah. I'm just sorry about my writing and the fact I'm pretty much punching above my weight here. I really am sorry and I thank you all for giving your time up to read this. Every time someone reviews, I always reply to each if you're logged in, I'm hoping the messages send… -ChasingMidnight.**

Jade must have fallen asleep at Cat's side, her hand still clasped around Cat's. Her dreams were dark and distorted though they held no clear pictures, just shadows and colours whirring around her mind. She wasn't sure why the dream could scare her if that's it all it was. But it did. The sharpness and the fear of the dream scared her, she fought the endless dream. Of course, she was losing. Her body fought a long battle to stay in a deep slumber; it hadn't slept properly for a while.

Something slammed down in front of her. Jade jolted up. Tori.

Jade groaned. "I was sleeping."

"But now you're not, yay," Tori replied sarcastically. "I thought you'd want to see this."

Tori gestured to the newspaper in Jade's lap.

"Why have you brought me a paper? I'd have much preferred coffee."

"Just read it, everyone at school has been going crazy."

Jade glanced down and read the headline.

_Lovers' triangle shooting at hospital._

"What the hell is this?" Jade gestured to the words.

Tori shrugged. "Someone's twisting the words around. Anonymous source has told them about Beck and Cat, Beck and me and you and your temper."

"How much do you want to bet that your ex-boyfriend is behind it?" Jade sighed.

Tori followed suit. "So how is she?"

"She hasn't woken up yet. The bullet was a lucky miss again but it grazed an organ or something. Took longer for her to come out of surgery or something, I don't know. I was with Beck last night."

"I take it you've forced Robbie into sleeping?"

Jade nodded. "He looked like a zombie. Like you at the showcase last year."

Tori glared at her. "That's not even funny."

Jade laughed. "You know, Cat would have liked this."

"Liked what?"

"Us talking and getting along, she always gets upset when I'm harsh on you."

Tori tilted her head. "It doesn't bother me, it makes the days more interesting."

Jade began scanning the article.

_The hospital was evacuated last night after a gun hold up on the roof… three teenagers and two adults were involved… Two were killed during a shootout, an unnamed man, 21, and a nurse, 46, from the hospital... Two of the teenagers remain in hospital in stable conditions… No one has been arrested so far… The police are not looking for anyone else involved… We were approached by an anonymous source who told us about the love triangle happening within the three teenagers… The source tells us how the boy within the triangle, who was previously dating a girl from the group, has had two flings in the past with one of the girls involved and another teenager linked to the group… More to unravel from this story… What is the truth?_

Jade looked up. "What the hell is Danny's problem?"

"He likes winning. Whatever he thinks this is, he's won."

"Twisted…" Jade stopped herself from swearing realising Cat was there. She may have been sleeping but it was a habit not to swear in front of her. She would gasp and cover her ears, her eyes the size of sauce pans. "We should talk to him."

"I'll go; I know what he's like. You should stay here with Beck and Cat. They need you."

"What a damn good job I'm doing of them needing me."

Tori sat next to Jade. "You're blaming yourself, aren't you?"

"The police are, so why not join in the party?"

"Because it's not your fault, Jade, it's not and you have to stop blaming yourself," Tori begged her to believe her.

Jade looked up at Tori silently. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be taking advice off you, Vega."

She smiled in reply. "I guess things will never be the same."

"So you and André, what's happening?" Jade smirked trying to lighten the mood and drive the topic in a happier direction perhaps turning the tables onto Tori.

Tori blushed, she resembled a lobster. "I better go; I only came to bring you the news…"

"I'll take that as a sign lover boy is in the car," Jade winked at Tori.

"Shut up, Jade," Tori tried to act angry as she walked out.

Jade stared down at Cat again. "She's not too bad, you were right. She's not as awful as I thought. But her accent still claws at me."

Cat's parents appeared in the doorway.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, Jade," Her father's voice was deep.

"I was talking to Cat…" Jade blushed as she tried to justify herself.

They walked over to her. Cat's mother embraced Jade.

"I'm sorry about your brother, sweetheart."

"I'm sorry I didn't…"

Jade's mom covered her lips with a single finger.

"Jadelyn West, for as long as I have known you, I have never heard you apologise for anything and I don't wish for that to be ruined."

…

They pulled up outside of Danny's house. A new car sat on the drive. Part of her was annoyed he hadn't got a new one whilst they were dating, the old one was wrecked and the seats were ripped. She could guess where the money had come from, it wasn't exactly rocket science.

"Is this his house?" André asked.

"Yeah, his parents are lawyers, they're pretty rich."

"Oh."

Tori gave André a sideways glance. "They're a little stuck up. They never liked me."

André seemed to like that answer so smiled to himself.

"Wait here, I'll go and talk to him. He'll only be sarcastic and hostile towards you."

Tori slid out of the seat, walked up to the door, it opened within seconds of her knock.

"Well hello, Tori."

"Danny, what the hell do you think you're playing at? How did you know it was us?" Tori started shouting at him.

"Usually most people reply with 'hey' but whatever floats your boat."

"How did you know, Danny?"

He sighed, relaxing back onto the porch. "Well, who said this was me?"

"You wouldn't know what I was talking about if it wasn't you."

"Fair enough, Tori, aren't you getting smart?" He replied sarcastically.

"So how do you know?"

"Oh, it depends how close to home you look, Tori," He gestured to the car. "I think you'll approve of the new wheels."

He smiled and slammed the door in her face.

What was he talking about?


	21. Conspiracy Theories

Chapter twenty-one.

**I THINK I'VE WORKED OUT WHY SOME OF YOU THINK I'VE BEEN POSTING OLD CHAPTERS! :D  
I posted in Chapter 14 a sneak preview of a section from a future chapter which turned out to be Chapter 18. So that's why you all think it was a repost which it was in a way but it belonged in that chapter and I was trying to give you an idea of what was going to happen in a sneak preview. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings! However thank you for noticing; at least I know you were reading closely! –ChasingMidnight.**

Tori had forced André to drive her straight home instead of going out for sushi like they did every Monday night. He was annoyed by her choice but he respected it all the same.

"Thanks André," Tori said as soon as they pulled up outside of her house.

"I still can't see why we can't go for sushi."

Tori sighed and looked at him, half of her body out of the car.

"I've told you, Danny said…"

He cut in. "I don't care what he's said, I need some relaxation time with my girl."

Tori slumped back into the seat.

"Wow, that still sounds weird to say it," He chuckled deeply. "Why haven't we told the guys yet?"

"I don't think it's exactly the right time to announce it when two of them are in hospital and the other is being attacked by the papers."

He tapped the steering wheel. "Sure you don't want me to stay?"

"I'm a big girl and I can look after myself. Plus you've got to go see your grandmother."

"Wish me luck."

She laughed. "Try and convince her I'm not an axe murderer or something."

"I'll try but no avail will come from it," He shrugged, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"I'm sure you'll succeed. I've got to do my own investigation."

"Oh Detective Victoria Vega, I like it," André grinned mischievously.

She hit him gently. "Why am I even dating you?"

"My appealing charm," He winked and kissed her.

She waved him off after he insisted kissing her again through the open window of the car.

Tori wrestled with her keys to open the door. She wanted to work out what Danny meant.

"Is that you Tori?"

"Yeah, it's just me," She called back to Trina who was obviously upstairs.

She chucked her keys on the table in the kitchen and waited for Trina to come downstairs.

Trina appeared with only a towel wrapped around her. Her hair was dripping across the floor and her face was smeared with some mixture.

"Oh."

"What? It's good for your skin," Trina replied.

"Do you know where Dad is?"

She shrugged. "He came home about an hour ago, muttered something and left again."

Tori tossed an apple from hand to hand. "I see."

"Miss Vega! Miss Vega!"

Trina froze. Her eyes were wide.

"Who was that?" Trina asked confused.

"Nothing, just my laptop…"

"Miss Vega! Miss Vega! Your face needs to come off!"

Tori frowned at her sister. "Who is it Trina?"

"It's my new boyfriend…"

"Trina even I know you wouldn't look like that if you had a boyfriend over,"

Trina held her hand up. "He's very casual."

"Trina, that's not even a male voice."

She sighed, her head flying back. "Fine, it's my masseuse, Dai."

Tori grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and rubbed it on her sleeve. "How did you find the money for one of them?"

"I used my birthweek money…"

She'd barely even finished her sentence when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it, shall I?" Tori said sarcastically as she headed for the door.

Opening the door, a tall guy with a suitcase marched in.

"So which one of you called for my fabulous hair designs?"

Tori pointed towards Trina who smiled awkwardly.

"If you'd like to set up upstairs," Trina smiled.

The hairdresser grinned and flounced off towards the stairs. Tori watched him disappear.

"Let me guess, birthweek money?"

Trina was definitely blushing under the goo. "I was really careful with it?"

"And managed to get enough money to get a stylist and a masseuse?"

"I got interest and stuff…"

Tori rolled her eyes. "Trina."

"What? It's the truth."

"You don't even know how to work a bank account," Tori glared at her, still with the apple in hand. "Where's the money from?"

Trina paused. "There was an envelope on the door mat when I got in."

"And…?"

"I opened it and there was like a wad of dollars there with a note saying 'spend it on yourself' so I have, there is nothing wrong with doing as I was told…"

…

"So all those trips to A & E, they were all because of him?" Cat's father looked outraged, her mother simply looked bewildered.

Jade nodded slowly. They'd spent the last few hours talking about what had led up to that very moment. The sun had fallen from grace and the moon shone in its place proudly. Time stood still in the hospital regardless of the world outside. Each moment leaked into the next, hours followed on like children in a tag game.

Cat still slept peacefully. Robbie had returned around mid-afternoon to sit attentively at her side but his mother had demanded he returned home to shower and change.

"Why didn't we notice?" Mrs Valentine looked broken.

"Cat's clumsy, you couldn't have known. She's good at acting. The whole reason she's at Hollywood Arts," Jade joked, trying to stop the serious talk which she knew was unavoidable.

A long silence remained for some time.

"What do you think she's dreaming of?"

Her parents frowned at Jade's comment.

"What do you mean, Jade?" Her mother asked. Cat shared the same eyes as her mother, chocolate brown.

"She always talks about happy things, I wonder if her dreams are the same."

Cat's father contemplated this. "She used to have such bad nightmares as a kid, really awful ones. She'd wake up screaming and crying."

"She managed to get Robbie to talk to the school guidance counsellor about his nightmares, she never told us why, makes sense now," Jade sighed.

"We've only ever spoke to Robbie a few times," Mr Valentine commented. "He seems nice enough though."

"Robbie couldn't be better for Cat, you know I wouldn't let her date anybody," Jade smiled.

"So what's he like at school?" Mrs Valentine asked, leaning closer to Jade like Cat would be listening and objecting to it.

Jade picked her words carefully. "He's socially awkward at times but he's a wonderful friend. He wrote a song to cheer Cat up once. It was beautiful. He's an amazing ventriloquist. He always tries to make Cat smile."

"I've never heard you speak of a boy so highly. Not even Beck," Mr Valentine laughed.

Jade remembered how Beck had been arguing with his mother all day over the phone. His grandmother had been to see him and insisted on Jade being there for a short while so she could lecture her on the importance of family.

Cat's mother sighed. "Cat told us about you and him… breaking up."

Jade chuckled to herself. "We're back together now; we're just calling the few months in between an extended break. I guess it's not until something's gone you appreciate it."

They both agreed with her. Cat began to stir.

Her mother was at her side instantly. "Cat sweetheart, can you hear me?"

Cat's eyes fluttered open. They looked confused and panicked.

"It's me, your father and Jade. Robbie's gone home for a short while."

She stared around the room. Her eyes darted everywhere and hovering for no longer than a couple of seconds in each place.

Her mouth opened to speak.

"Where am I?" Her voice was childlike even for Cat. "What happened to me?"


	22. Remembering Sunday

Chapter twenty-two.  
"You're in hospital, honey, you were shot twice," Her mother gently explained.  
"Mom? Dad?" She frowned as if she was unsure.  
Her father got up and stood next to her mother. "Yeah, we're both here."  
"It hurts," Cat's lips pouted.  
"Your medication is nearly due, it'll stop hurting soon honey," Her mother stroked her forehead.  
She stared at Jade. "Are you my nurse?"  
Jade laughed thinking Cat was trying to be funny. "You're always on the ball, aren't you, Cat?"  
Cat continued to stare at her intently. "I think I recognise you from somewhere."  
"Come on Cat, it's getting old now."  
She frowned again. "What is? Do I know you?"  
Jade sat back down. She didn't recognise her.  
Mr Valentine headed for the door. "I'll go find a doctor…"  
"Sweetie, it's your best friend, Jade, you've known her for years," Mrs Valentine softly prompted her memory. "She's always been your best friend."  
Cat shook her head vigorously. "I have no friends."  
Jade felt like a knife had been plunged through her heart and possibly had it wrenched out. It hurt like a dull ache. She couldn't remember her. The girl that Jade remembered running around her house at 3am with her brown hair in bunches singing silly songs when they were 10. The girl Jade would never forget in a month of Sundays. Horror filled her chest replacing the gap where her heart used to be beating. The panic flooded her veins freezing them to ice. She felt so cold, so alone, so lost. How could Cat forget her? She must have hit her head as she fell back on the roof. Jade hoped it would be the temporary amnesia like the one her younger brother had when he fell off his bike. Maybe it was just her she'd forgotten; maybe it was because she was a bad person.  
"What about Robbie? Do you remember him?"  
Cat stared at her again.  
"Robbie?"

Beck sighed at the ceiling. His grandmother was still sat in the same place she had been in for 4 hours. She was lecturing him on how Jade wasn't good for him and how she was the reason he was lying the hospital bed.  
"She's not the right one for you, Beck."  
"How would you know that?"  
His grandmother crossed her arms. "I'm older and therefore wiser, Beck."  
"You and Granddad weren't supposed to date."  
"Things were different back then…"  
Beck cut in. "I don't think it is. I can decide who is and who isn't good for me, Gran."  
"I'm not so sure."  
"Please let me make my own mistakes which Jade isn't, she will never be a mistake Gran."  
His grandmother sighed. "You really love her don't you?"  
"I want to marry her," He replied whole heartedly. He meant it. Of course he meant it, that girl was everything to him.  
"Try explaining that to your mother and father when they fly home, kid."  
"They don't understand."  
His grandmother chuckled. "No one ever does."  
Jade was stood in the door way listening, her face lined with tears.  
Beck noticed. "Babe? What's wrong?"  
"Cat…" She gasped for air. "She doesn't remember."

"Trina! You can't take money that you have no idea where it has come from!"  
She puckered her lips. "But it was given to me to spend!"  
Tori folded her arms, the apple still tightly in her hand.  
"Trina, you didn't even know it was for you."  
"It had my name on it! Give me a break, Tori. Who are you? The police?"  
"I just cannot believe you spent money that wasn't even yours."  
The shrill voice called again from upstairs. "Miss Vega! Miss Vega!"  
Trina gave Tori the puppy dog eyes.  
"Go, you need to get that goo off your face."  
Trina smiled and ran upstairs. The door opened. Her mother appeared.  
"You cannot believe the people in the store."  
"If you've been to the store, where are your bags?" Tori raised an eyebrow.  
"I gave up on trying to get to the check outs. It was so busy," Her mom sighed as she shut the door.  
Tori bit into her apple. "Have you seen dad? I need to talk to him."  
"What about honey?" She asked.  
"This newspaper got to grips on the shootings and someone gave them anonymous information."  
Her mother froze. "Oh, that's unfortunate."  
"So I just wondered if dad would know what happened."  
"I'm sure he doesn't, Tori, he's just a cop," She smiled nervously. "I'm going to go find out what Trina's doing."  
She watched her mother move swiftly to the stairs.  
"I wouldn't bother; she's got a masseuse and a hairdresser up there."  
"What?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I've told her not to order people here. Are they a couple of seventh graders again?"  
"No, she's got Dai and this male hairdresser."  
Her mother shrugged. "At least they're being paid. Hey, Tori? Have you seen an envelope anywhere? It should have been sent to us by now."  
"Nope, only the one Trina got."  
"Oh," She looked disappointed. "Well, I'm going to the store."  
Tori looked confused. "You've just been there…"  
"Well I'm going back there, okay?" Her mother yelled apprehensively, shutting the door behind her.  
What was it with her family today? All of them were acting suspiciously. But who was it really?

Jade was curled up against Beck. His grandmother had gone to speak to Cat's parents.  
"So the doctors have said its temporary amnesia?" Beck asked soothingly.  
"They say it'll go away in a day or so," Jade whispered. She didn't want it to be real. If she didn't speak about it, it couldn't be real. It didn't exist if it wasn't said.  
"She'll remember us, babe. She's just a little scared."  
"I did this. I did this to her, it's my fault Beck. Everyone will blame me for it. The papers, the school, the world."  
Beck kissed her hair. "Well all that matters is that you know we don't blame you, Jade."  
"I need to tell Robbie, he'll be broken."  
"I'll call him if you want; you've already had to break it to him twice."  
Jade nodded passing the phone to Beck's good hand, he took it lightly. She then wrapped herself tighter around him, her head resting on his chest listening to his heartbeat. He was alive, Cat was alive and most of all, they were safe. Beck loved her and she loved Beck. It would all be okay. She kept telling herself that over and over.  
"Hey Robbie, Cat's awake now."  
"I'm just leaving the house now, how is she? Is she wondering where I am?"  
Beck sucked in some air. "It's a bit more than that, Robbie."  
Jade bit the inside of her cheek, shutting her eyes tightly.  
"What do you mean?" Robbie's voice laughed nervously like he did.  
"She's got temporary amnesia."  
"Oh? Well, that's expected I guess. She's been through so much."  
Beck shook his head like Robbie could see him. "She can't remember any of this weekend."  
"What aren't you telling me Beck?"  
He paused. "She can't remember any of us, Robbie."  
And that was when the words finally hit home with all of them.


	23. Little Talks

Chapter twenty-three.

**I'd just like to thank all of the people that have reviewed this story and just taken your time to read this. I wish I could hug all of you, all 5700 of you. Much love, ChasingMidnight.**

It was all a blur after the phone call. Beck argued with the nurse over letting him go see Cat in a wheelchair, his grandmother fought his corner until the nurse finally gave in. His grandmother left shortly after but not before making Jade promise to look after him for her. Jade promised. Although her thoughts were misted by the fact her promises hadn't lived up to much recently, she would always try her best for Beck even though sometimes she made mistakes and said stupid things to provoke arguments but that didn't mean she didn't care as much as her heart could handle.

The nurses helped Beck into Cat's room, Jade followed silently behind. She counted her footsteps; 1, 2, 3. She tried to steady herself; 4, 5, 6. She couldn't handle the fact her best friend couldn't remember her; 7, 8, 9. Stop. Nine steps away from Beck's room was Cat's door. Nine steps between the difference of being loved and being forgotten.

Robbie was already there. Cat's parents had gone to check on Cat's brother who had refused to step foot in the hospital so had stayed home to look after the house. Robbie was playing the ending of Cat's song, I Think Your Swell. The nurse left Beck next to him and walked out giving them all a sympathetic smile.

"Hey," Cat spoke sadly. "I like your cast; I've just got two huge bandages."

Beck smiled. "Thanks kitten."

"I remember someone used to always call me that…"

"I did, it's my nickname for you, Cat," Beck nodded hoping this was the signs of it wearing off.

Cat's expression remained confused but a little light appeared in her eyes.

Robbie finished the song, he had stopped singing a while ago, and instead he played the melody of every track he knew Cat liked.

"You're really good at guitar, Robbie."

He looked up with a small smile. "I just want you to remember, that's all."

"I'm trying really hard," Cat sighed. "It's like my brain doesn't want to think anymore."

Jade still remained at the door, hovering there.

"Why don't you come in?" Cat called to her.

Her head snapped up from the floor. "Me?"

"Who else would I be talking to silly?"

Jade walked towards her, stopping at the seat closest to Beck. He reached out and took her hand. They stared at each other, he smiled reassuringly. The kind of smile that made her heart sing.

Cat tilted her head. "I think I remember you."

They both looked at her, their heads snapping away from each other.

"You've been together a while, right?"

Beck nodded after noticing Jade had frozen up.

"You broke up for ages, it was so sad."

Jade couldn't look at Cat. How could she remember that without remembering the last few days, without remembering who they really were?  
Jade leant down resting her head on Beck's good arm, still keeping hold of his hand as well.

Robbie took the silence as a chance to keep playing. He decided he'd have one last shot with Cat's favourite song. The one she made them sing every time she was scared. Even though Jade complained about singing it, she really didn't mind. Beck knew the song backwards he'd sang it that often to her. Robbie always kept the crumpled note sheet in his wallet in case she needed him to play it.

"When I see your smile

Tears roll down my face I can't replace

And now that I'm strong I have figured out

How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul

And I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one."

Beck began humming along to the words; he eventually gave in and sang with Robbie softly.

"I will never let you fall

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all through it all

Even if saving you sends me to heaven."

Beck's voice melted with Robbie's perfectly. Jade kept listening with her eyes closed. She didn't want to open them and find herself in the hospital. She wanted to open her eyes and find herself in Beck's RV simply singing a song to cheer Cat up for some stupid reason like Mr Purple had to go in the washing machine. Jade began murmuring the lyrics into Beck's arm.

"It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

Seasons are changing

And waves are crashing

And stars are falling all for us

Days grow longer and nights grow shorter

I can show you I'll be the one."

"Stop, I remember the rest of the song. I remember parts of who you all are. I know I love you all. I just don't remember the last few days or the rest of you," Cat broke in as they finished the last line. "It's like I'm cramming a jigsaw together in my head. It takes time."

"Is it a 3 to 6 years one?" Beck asked with a smirk. "You always told me the reason you couldn't do those was because they would take too many years."

Cat looked at him. "It's true!"

…

"Trina! Dinner's ready!" Her mother called from the kitchen.

Tori was already sat at the table tapping her knife and fork on the table. She was anxious. She'd heard nothing from the hospital and she'd made no developments on what Danny had said.

"Do you want gravy on your shepherd's pie?"

Tori woke from her day dreaming. "Eh, yeah… please."

Her mother poured it onto the dinner. "Something on your mind, honey?"

She walked over placing it in front of her.

"Not as much as something is on yours, mom."

"Why?" Her mother asked as she slid into her seat with her plate.

"Your gravy is curry sauce…"

Her mother blushed. "Oh. I must have picked up the wrong thing from the store."

Tori pushed her dinner away from her. "Where's dad?"

"No idea, oh by the way, I'm going out at seven, Tori."

"You're leaving me with Trina?!"

Her mother stood up and gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, Tori but I've got to go meet...someone."

Tori frowned at her mother. "Who?"

"Just this guy about this thing."

"Mom…"

She looked at her watch. "Oh look at that. I better get going!"

She ran for the door only slowing to grab her car keys.

…

"I want to remember you all so badly."

"We know you do, Cat," Robbie sighed taking her hand. He felt like someone had taken him to some twisted reality where his own girlfriend couldn't remember him fully.

"You're pretty, Jade."

Jade looked up to the red head on the bed.

"I mean it; you're too pretty to be so sad."

Jade could feel her throat swelling. She fought it so she could reply to her. "You're too pretty to have those secrets you have, Cat."

Cat stared down at the covers. Jade knew she hadn't forgotten that. That was something the Amnesia couldn't take away from her.

A knock at the door made them all turn to look.

"A parcel was just delivered for a Miss Jadelyn West?" A nurse frowned at the packaging.

Oh.


	24. Invading Space

Chapter twenty-four.

"What is it?" Jade asked eyeing the box.

The nurse shrugged. "Reception just gave me; as they say don't shoot the messenger."

She passed it to Jade and walked back out of the room.

Jade frowned at the box. It wasn't very big, about the size of a CD case but it was thicker than that. She rattled it like a child with her presents on Christmas.

"Open it already," Cat bounced a couple of times on the bed until she realised it released a dull ache.

Jade tore the wrapping off to reveal a velvet jewellery case. She raised an eyebrow at it.

"Any ideas?" She looked at Beck.

"I had nothing to do with it," He replied with a small shrug. "Did you ever get your ring back?"

Jade nodded. "Mrs Valentine gave it me."

She lifted the lid on the box lid. An envelope with her name written in script was on the front. His writing, it was undeniable. She moved it out of the way to reveal a diamond necklace her mother had given to her for her 16th birthday. The last time she'd looked at it, the necklace was sat on her dresser so how had he got it?

"What is it?" Robbie was the first to speak as he rested his guitar against the chest of drawers.

Jade felt the rough cut, clear diamonds. She lied through her teeth. "I have no idea."

"Babe?" Beck noticed her upper lip quivering a little.

"I need some air. I'll be back soon."

She stood up abruptly before anyone could object and left. She flew the doors of the hospital before she had even realised she'd left the ward. She took a deep breath. How had he got into the house? How had he managed to get this from her room? How had he sent this, most importantly?

She fumbled to open the letter.

_You thought I was gone, bless you. It's amazing what people will do for money. It's amazing what people do for love too. An emotion I have never really understood, Jadelyn, it's peculiar. I think one should simply look after oneself. I personally think the necklace was a nice touch. Nice of me to give it you back, it should have been mine to give to my future bride according to mother. But since she had a girl and sadly I lost this. So I was only reclaiming what was mine. Now, I suppose I better tell you what is going to happen… Or you could just find out. Well, however I ended up 'kicking the bucket' as they say; I'm back and better than ever. Kiss Beck goodbye._

Jade felt the hair prick up on the back of her neck. Something was going to happen.

…

"I'm telling you, André, my whole family is acting weird."

He laughed over the phone. "Your family is weird, Tori."

"I mean weirder than usual. Trina's getting all this money, Dad hasn't even stepped foot in the house since I don't know when, Mom has gone out with some strange unknown person."

"Tor, chill. Okay? You need to stop over thinking things. I'm sure Trina got the money from some date that never wants her to speak about their date, your dad is probably really busy at work especially after the shootings and Jade's brother and your mom has probably started planning for your aunt's birthday."

Tori sighed. "Danny was being serious. I can tell when he's lying. We went out for too long for me to forget what he looks like when he's lying."

"Can't you just forget what he said, Tori?" André groaned over the speaker.

"No, I can't André. He meant it and I know he did. He even commented about his new car," Tori argued. "He knew I hated his old car."

"He was playing with your mind," He tried to reason with her. "He wants to mess you around, bitter ex and all that chizz."

"I don't believe it, I'm trying to talk to you about this and be a real couple but you're trying to talk me down."

André realised he'd upset her. "I don't…"

"No, no it's fine, if you don't want to listen to my problems then have a nice evening."

Tori's finger hovered over the end call button on her pear phone. She hadn't got the heart to press it.

"So I guess we could class this as our first argument as a couple, right?" Her voice was small in hope it would break the tension.

"I guess we could…" She could hear the smile in André's voice. "Hey do you want to come over? My dad has made far too much…"

"André, shhh."

"What? What's wrong?"

There was a long silent pause.

"Tori? Tori?"

"I think…I think there's someone in the house."

…

"Tell me, what can you remember?" Beck asked Cat.

"It's like watching a film, pictures thrown together. I remember Friday at my house, I never finished watching Cinderella. Then Jade's brother… I remember everything!" Cat grinned from ear to ear. "Everything I knew before!"

Robbie jumped up and kissed her in joy. He pulled away realising she may feel uncomfortable but as soon as he did, she pulled him back by his shirt.

"Get a room," Beck laughed. "I'm glad we have you back Kitten."

Robbie rested on the edge of the bed. "Me too, I missed having my girlfriend."

"Hey Robbie, do you mind getting me something to eat?" Cat smiled at him sweetly.

"Sure, anything you want, name it."

"Bibble?" She batted her eyelashes.

"I'll go see if I have any in my car," He sighed leaving the room.

"Cat, we really need to talk about it."

"I don't want to," She averted her gaze.

Beck gripped the side the bed and pulled himself closer with his right arm.

"Please Cat, let me in. It's not something I want you to go through alone."

She wouldn't look at him. Either that or she couldn't. Her mind couldn't decide which it was.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to hide away from me, Cat. I or Jade, neither of us wants you to feel like that. And I know you don't want to talk about it but you need to."

He took her clenched hand.

"Cat, please talk to us. It's not like we'll be mad or angry or upset even. We're just…"

"Disappointed, right? You're disappointed in me for not telling you," She shook her head vigorously. "Don't be disappointed, please don't be. It's the worst thing in the world knowing someone is disappointed by you."

"How would Robbie feel if he found out? That the girl he cares the most about…I can't even say it, please Cat, listen."

She wiped her cheeks. Staring up at the ceiling, she couldn't ignore it anymore. It wasn't going to disappear like magic. She opened her mouth but nothing would come out. Instead she hugged Mr Purple tighter.

Beck wrapped an arm around her. "Cat, you're my best friend, you have been since we were 3. I don't want you to feel lost or alone. You can talk to me at any time Kitten."

She nodded lightly resting her head on his shoulder.

Jade appeared at the side of them.

"I don't know what to do," She sobbed.

"What's wrong babe?" Beck looked up at her.

She sat at the end of Cat's bed and crossed her legs, covering her face with her hands.

"It's still not over, he's still here even though he's dead."


	25. Vanishing Acts

Chapter twenty-five.

**Story has hit 50 reviews :D YAY! It's made me really happy! Thank you! –ChasingMidnight.**

"It's probably just Trina," André reasoned.

Tori whispered. "Trina's asleep."

"Oh."

"Exactly," She replied quietly down the phone raising her free arm up in exclamation.

Something smashed downstairs.

"Tori?" André was panicking slightly now.

"Hold on, I'm just going to see what that was…"

She set the phone down on the bed regardless of André's shouts for her to wait for him to get there.

…

Cat hugged Jade, rocking her gently as she tried to tell them what was wrong. She hated seeing Jade so destroyed. This would usually be her crying over the stupidest of things to either Jade or Beck.

They'd tried to make some sense out of her but all they kept getting was 'he's back'.

"He's back, he's paid someone else. He really will never stop even with a bullet through his heart," Jade finally spoke with no emotion.

"But who would do that for money?" Cat frowned.

Beck squeezed Jade's hand as he replied to Cat. "You'd be amazed, Kitten."

"I want this to end. I want to go back to school with you both better and carry on with my play."

Cat looked at Jade. "I wanted to surprise you."

"What with?"

"I learnt every single one of my lines and I asked Sinjin to make all of the props for you."

Jade pushed her eyebrows together. "But where did you get the funds from?"

"I used my money, I didn't mug any of the teachers," Cat giggled imagining herself as a criminal in a cat burglar outfit. She decided she'd make herself one when she got out of hospital with the new sewing machine her parents were getting her for being so brave.

"Cat…" Jade began to object.

"No, I wanted to do something nice for you that would matter. He hasn't charged me much, I promised I'd find him a girl to go on a date with."

"Who the hell would go out with that creep?" Jade said as she playing with Beck's fingers.

Cat look suspiciously happy about whoever she'd set up Sinjin with.

"Cat."

She looked at Beck and shrugged innocently. "What?"

"Who have you set him up with?"

"Some girl…" She replied vaguely.

"Caterina Valentine!" Beck called.

"One," Jade began to count.

"Don't count!" Cat begged.

"Two…"

Cat shook her head with a mischievous smile.

"Three…"

"You know what happens if Jade makes it to five," Beck reminded her.

"You only have one arm, I'm barely out numbered."

"Four…"

Cat laughed with a glint in her eye. "You can't even tickle me anyway; I have two bandages protecting me as well as Mr Purple!"

"Caterina," Jade said sternly.

"You really want to know, Jaderina?"

Beck laughed at Cat's attempt to mock Jade. She retaliated and hit him lightly in the shoulder. Beck caught her hand again, kissed it then resumed holding it.

"Cat, come on. What girl is crazy enough to go out on a date with Sir Stalk-a-lot himself?" Jade asked again with her sarcastic tone.

"Well…"

Robbie ran towards them, panting heavily.

"André…Tori…gone."

"What?" Beck leant forward towards Robbie. "Calm down and try again."

Robbie held up his index finger to signal one minute as he put the other hand on his chest trying to slow his breathing then attempted to tell them again.

"André called to ask if we'd seen Tori because she went to check out a sound downstairs and never went back. He's gone over to the house and no one is answering the door."

Cat stared at him. "Oh my giraffe, poor Tori, she must have gone to get some more tuna for her silly tuna rolls."

"I don't think she's gone for tuna, Cat…" Jade remarked with a sigh. "I told you bad things were going to keep happening."

"What should we do?" Beck opened up the conversation to the group.

"You two are going to keep each other company, we'll go help André look around the house for her," Jade slipped off of the bed.

"But…" Cat wanted to go with them.

"No, Kitten, they're right. We can't go with them. We had our adventure on Saturday."

She furrowed her brow at Beck. "Fine."

"We'll be back soon, I promise, she's probably stuck in the bathroom again," Robbie kissed her cheek.

"Where's my Bibble?"

Robbie took a packet from his pocket and handed it to her.

Jade bent down to kiss Beck goodbye.

"Be careful, babe."

"Whenever am I not?" She smiled innocently at him.

…

André paced the front porch. Something had to be wrong. The phone was still running but no sounds were coming over the speaker. He needed to get in, perhaps if he broke a window?

"André, we're here," Jade shouted across the lawn. "Has Tori decided to answer the door yet? It's cold out here."

She wrapped Beck's top around her tighter. Robbie followed shortly behind.

"Have either of you guys got a key?" André was quick to get down to business.

They looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Chill out, she'll be hiding under her bed with that doll," Jade tried to sound reassuring. She wasn't sure how this comforting thing worked.

"Just with all the weird stuff happening recently, the really weird bad stuff," André shook his head to try and get rid of the thought of Tori being hurt.

He paced the porch again, up, down, up, down.

"André you're making me feel sea sick," Jade clenched her fists. Deep down in the pit of her stomach she knew something was wrong. She bent down and stared at the lock trying to work out if there was any way of breaking in to it.

Of course not, a police officer would have the security at his own house sorted.

"The lock is hopeless, you need a key. I can't even pop that lock," She sighed.

They looked around for an open window, when there wasn't any, Jade decided to smash the closest window so she could climb in. She hoisted the rock in her hand and pulled it back to throw.

"Woah, woah, woah!" A voice cried from a distance.

The sound of heels came closer.

Trina.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?"

"Tori's in trouble," André answered faster than lightning.

"Right, okay so you want to smash my window because of that?" She spoke down to them as usual.

"Just open the damn door, Trina!" Jade shouted.

Trina automatically fumbled around for her keys.

"If any of you see Cat before I do, tell her she's in big trouble."

"Why?" Robbie frowned.

Trina turned the key in the lock. "I forgot you were her play date."

They followed her inside.

"Trina, you don't seem to be taking this seriously, Tori could be hurt," André asserted.

Trina gave a shrill giggle. "She'll be in her room doing some silly assignment."

She flicked the switch for the light to come on.

What a sight met their eyes.


	26. Fairy Tales And Wrecked Rooms

Chapter twenty-six.

**To the guest who thinks I'm turning this into a Bat instead of Bade, I'm sorry! D: The reason why Beck and Cat didn't go was because they can't leave the hospital due to being patients so that's the only reason they've ended up together this time round. Sorry if you had that impression…:/ -ChasingMidnight.**

The place was trashed, a new floor layer made up of papers and broken furniture. The piano was covered in empty boxes. The kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off. There were papers littered across the sofas.

"What happened to my house?" Trina cried out. "How could she throw a house party without me?"

"This isn't a house party…" Jade commented.

"Someone broke in?" Robbie suggested.

Jade shot the idea down. "I doubt it; they would have taken the TV and busted the lock."

André stared at the mass destruction that had happened. He couldn't move. Where was Tori?

"Tori!" Jade shouted continuously as she was the first to come to life after Trina's outburst.

Trina began shouting random insults all directed at Tori and her 'weird' friends being in the same room as her. Robbie started picking things off the floor and trying to tidy the place a little in case Tori was hurt, it kept his mind off it. He thought about Cat and how she always had the glint in her eyes no matter what. André still stood there. His legs refused to take one more step into the war zone. He had to find Tori; he shouldn't have let her come home alone, not with what had happened recently. His heart pounded his rib cage rattling it like a trapped song bird trying to break free.

"I'll go check upstairs," Jade announced. "André go look in the garden."

He suddenly awoke and looked at Jade.

"Go on then."

"Oh," André nodded and set towards the stairs.

Jade wished she could point out that she wasn't being cruel for no reason but to keep him going instead of stopping and never starting again like she did in the time she didn't have Beck by her side. You can't let yourself stop living because no matter what, life doesn't stop with you instead it drags you along behind waiting until you bring yourself back to your feet and walk alongside it again.

She ran towards the stairs. Once she'd made it, she pushed every door open as she passed quickly scoping each one before running to the next. Jade swore if this was just a prank she would turn Tori into a pillow case or something else creatively painful.

That was when she braced herself for Tori's room; she kicked the door open with her foot as she took a deep breath. What would she find? She hoped Tori would be okay. She couldn't deal with another pool of blood especially from someone she was close to. Not that she would ever admit it to Tori, Jade did quite like having her around to wind up and even, sometimes, perform with.

She searched frantically around the room, throwing various items out of the way; she checked the wardrobe, under the bed even behind the desk. She couldn't bear to go to go down stairs to tell the guys she couldn't find her. She double checked all of the room again. She took another deep breath.

"Jade! Jade! We've found her! We've found her!" Robbie's voice floated into the room.

Jade sprinted back down the stairs then stopped dead at the foot of the stairs.

…

The nurse had promptly tried taken Beck back to his room after Jade and Robbie left. Cat had asked him to read a bed time story to her being as Robbie couldn't so the nurse had allowed them ten more minutes. Cat had already found the book she wanted; it was a child's book of Cinderella.

"Are you sure you want this?" Beck frowned. "You've already had Cinderella an awful lot recently…"

"No," Cat cut in. "I like it."

Beck nodded and opened the book.

"There was once a beautiful girl named Cinderella who lived with her father, step-mother and two ugly step-sisters. They were mean to Cinderella and made her sleep in the kitchen…"

Cat shook his arm. "Go to the ball instead. I don't want the bad parts, not tonight."

Beck complied. He knew Tori would be playing on Cat's mind as well as Robbie not being with her.

"Cinderella arrived at the ball and no one in all of the land had ever seen someone so beautiful. They all muttered to one another 'She must be a princess from another kingdom; I have never laid eyes on such beauty!' The prince realised all of the subjects had stopped dancing so he followed their gazes and found the most beautiful girl in the world. He walked straight up to her and asked her to dance. For that night, the prince truly felt that he held heaven in his arms," Beck noticed Cat's lack of interest and stared at her. "What's wrong, Kitten?"

"Do you think Robbie feels that way about me?"

Beck knitted his eyebrows together. "Of course, he looks at you like you're an angel that fell from the sky."

Cat smiled faintly. "I'm really happy with him, Beck."

"I know you are. Even before you told me you were in love with him, I knew."

Cat's cheeks blushed boldly. "You did? Do you think he knew?"

"Robbie was about as oblivious as you were, Kitten. But you're together."

"Yeah, I have my prince Charming. I'm really lucky."

Beck was really happy for Cat. "You sure are, Kitten. But if Robbie ever upsets you, I'll be after him."

Cat laughed at his comment. Then her smile settled.

"Do you feel that way about Jade?"

"What way?"

"Like you're holding heaven?"

Beck smiled and shook his head. Cat's expression dropped she looked like the child that had just been told Christmas was cancelled.

"What do you mean?" Cat gasped.

Beck chuckled lightly. "I feel like I have more than that, I have the world in my arms with Jade. Every single emotion possible, every single feeling, each flickering sensation, I have it there with Jade."

Cat grinned again. "That's really sweet, Beck."

"It's the truth."

"I'm glad you and Jade are okay again, I mean it."

Beck closed the book; it was obvious they wouldn't be reading anymore.

"I can tell you're not as strange with me. Talking in riddles all the time…"

Cat scrunched her mouth up. "I didn't mean to, Jade told me she was still in love with you and you were telling me that as well. I felt like the middle man."

The nurse barged through the door.

"Bed time story over with?" She asked.

Beck's phone began ringing. The nurse sighed and walked back out, chuntering under her breath about teenagers and phones.

He answered it.

"Hey babe, everything okay?"

His face slowly sank.

"What? What's wrong?" Cat shook his arm. "Please tell me Robbie's okay. It's not Jade is it?"


	27. Understanding

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

**I really do appreciate every single one of you reading this, each one of you. You're all beautiful people, I know some of you will think 'Ha, no, not me' but I mean it. There's beauty in you, you just need to find it like others have already in you. Keep your chin up, keep smiling and keep moving on because tomorrow is always waiting to be your day. Talk to me, any time you need to just drop me a PM and I'll answer as soon as I'm near a computer, love. -ChasingMidnight.**

"We found Tori," Jade spoke quickly; she couldn't take her eyes away from Tori. "She's a little cut up, tied up and traumatised."

There was a long pause as Beck explained to Cat.

"Hang on, babe. Talk to Robbie for a bit, I need to help cut the tape."

She passed the phone to him and took the scissors from André. She started looking at which angle was best to cut away first. She stepped over a broken glass then began cutting the tape away. Trina was attempting to contact their parents, her heels tapping against the floor as she walked. André was awkwardly hovering over Jade.

"André," Jade said sternly.

He mumbled some sort of apology and backed away, still biting his finger nails.

Jade cut away the last bit off Tori's wrists, she realised she would have to tear some of it off.

"Tori, I'm going to have to rip this off, okay?"

Tori nodded sadly, a piece still firmly over her mouth. Jade decided she'd keep it on so it would mask her screams.

"André, get the first aid kit, she'll need cleaning up afterwards."

He walked away. Tori gave Jade a knowing look. She knew exactly why Jade had sent André away from her. She didn't want him to see Tori in pain as the tape had to come off.

"Ready?" Jade asked.

Tori nodded again faintly closing her eyes tight. Jade began peeling the edges of the tape but then decided it would be best to rip it off quickly like a plaster on a cut. The sound tore into the almost silent atmosphere. Everyone tried to ignore it.

Tears started rolling down her face. Jade had to keep going. She cut away at her ankles then repeated the same process. That's when Jade noticed, the tape over Tori's mouth wasn't as strongly as the rest. Whoever had done this obviously didn't want her to be in too much pain. Jade finally took away the piece over Tori's mouth.

André walked back over with a big green box, he set it down next to Jade along with a bowl of warm water and a towel.

"Are you okay?" He asked, it was a stupid question but it was the only thing he could think to say.

Tori shrugged. "I don't know."

"Robbie, write down whatever Tori says, dad said he'll be here with the police soon," Trina covered her phone with her hand.

Robbie nodded; he'd finished talking to Cat and Beck a few seconds previous, and took out his phone once more to type.

"What happened?" Robbie began questioning her. He felt a bit strange being so confident without Rex but it felt good to have no one cutting into him constantly.

Jade took Tori's wrists and began bathing them in order to bandage them with some antiseptic cream. She tried to be as gentle as possible, like she would be with Cat when things got really bad and… No. She couldn't think about that now. She had to concentrate on the task of covering Tori's cuts from the tape.

"There was a noise, so I came downstairs and someone was here looking through Dad's things in the kitchen. They saw me and then they dived after me. Then taped me up, shoved me in the cupboard."

Robbie quickly typed it. "Do you know what they looked like?"

"They were wearing a balaclava, it looked male though," Tori replied vaguely.

Robbie opened his mouth to ask another question but Jade cut in.

"Anywhere else hurt?"

She'd covered her ankles as well.

Tori shook her head. "Thanks Jade."

"No problem Vega, just next time try not to get bundled up with tape," Jade tried to inject some humour into the situation. It half worked, Tori found it funny but André didn't. Robbie and Trina weren't really listening.

"So what were they after?" Robbie finally spoke.

Tori frowned and got up to look at the mess that was the paper work on the table.

"It's missing."

…

Cat rocked. She didn't like being alone in the room. Beck had been taken back to his room after they'd found out Tori was safe much to her distaste for the nurse stealing her only comfort left at the hospital other than Mr Purple. She wanted Robbie to be here singing to her softly so she could sleep. She wanted Beck to read her another bed time story so she could dream. She wanted Jade to remind her about their childhood so she could reminisce.

The room was beige. A sickly coloured blue decorated the blankets and was splashed around the rest of the place occasionally in the oddest of places. The handles on the cupboards, the vase on the dresser, the artwork that was just a few splatters of paint on a white canvas.

She didn't know how she could sleep. She wanted someone by her side. Her parents decided she needed to rest and her brother was stressing out over Cat. She didn't want to be alone. She couldn't handle the old emotions creeping back up on her like old friends that longed for more company other than each other. They were blood thirsty and out for revenge. How could she turn her back on them? How could she leave them for a couple of weeks? How dare she?

She could feel the shadows of her past approaching her. The walls were watching eagerly for her to break down and give into the demands. They rooted for her to do so, that would make for a better performance.

Her feet slipped down the side of the bed. She couldn't sleep, maybe a walk would help? A walk? How could she walk? Why, that was the point. The object of this walk. She could not walk without the stabbing pains of the two bullet wounds hurting like the fiery pits of hell.

She wanted to break out of the walls. The listening walls with their watchful eyes. She needed air, air or stability. She wasn't sure which. Her feet hit the cold floor. Each step followed by sharp, shooting stabs to her stomach. The corridor was quiet. Nurses were at their station in the very distance. She wasn't sure where to go. She just walked until she felt she couldn't any more. She stood at the end of the ward.

A light flickered above her.

And that was the last thing she was aware of.


	28. Lights That Rest In The Mist

Chapter Twenty-Eight.

"What's missing?" Jade frowned following Tori into the kitchen like a bullet.

"Before I went upstairs, I was looking through dad's paper work…"

Trina sighed dramatically. "You know dad hates you doing that."

"I find it interesting!" Tori defended her actions. "It's not my fault I like reading about crimes…"

"Tori," Jade said sharply. "Get to the freaking point."

"Sorry," Tori blushed boldly. Her eyes diverted themselves from Jade.

"So what's missing?" Jade asked again for the second time.

Tori quickly moved the papers into a neat pile; it was almost robotic with the swift, repetitive movements. Her eyes flickered from left to right as she read the first few lines of each.

"Have any of you guys moved any papers?"

"I have," Robbie put his hand half way up in the air.

Tori requested him to get them for her. André walked over to Tori, he stopped dead in front of her. His face said it all. All of the fears he harboured, all of the worry he'd collected, all of the panic he'd experienced all for her. His eyes told a thousand tales of love for her and only her. His lips told a thousand songs of hope for her. She couldn't help but realise that now. It was practically screaming from him like New York's billboards at night. She smiled at him. Her eyes filling with realisation of what had just happened.

She wrapped herself in his arms just to know that it was all still real. She closed her eyes and concentrated on his scent.

"I have them here," Robbie put them in the gap on the table.

Tori pulled away from André regretfully. She began the same process of looking and sorting. She found the end of the pile and sighed.

"Oh for goodness sake, Tori, what the heck did they take?" Jade was getting annoyed. She couldn't focus, not when she knew Beck and Cat were stuck in the hospital and probably back in their individual rooms.

"The idiot took it."

"Took what?"

Tori slammed her hands down on the table. She looked up at Jade.

"He took our chance at finding answers."

…

Beck tapped the table with his only working hand. His other arm was in pot clutched to his chest by a sling. He was bored out of his brains. What the hell was there to do in a hospital? Nothing, Beck established, nothing at all. He'd flicked through the channels but nothing was on so late at night. He realised he'd have at least a week of this. He could ring Jade and ask what was happening there but he already knew she would be annoyed at the fact he wasn't sleeping and that she couldn't be with him. He could go see Cat however she would probably be sleeping and missing Robbie. Two of them missing their other half wouldn't go down well this late at night for the minds of those who long for another would come together and create havoc across the starry sky, painting it with their combined sadness and sorrow. It then dawned on him. Cat hated sleeping alone in strange rooms. Robbie would probably be going out of his mind when he realised. It would probably be dancing across Jade's mind too.

He pressed his buzzer and a few minutes later a middle aged nurse appeared.

"What's up honey?"

"I just wanted to ask how Cat was."

She frowned then winked at him. "How come, don't you think we're looking after her?"

"She doesn't like sleeping by herself other than at home, her boyfriend had to leave."

The nurse folded her arms. "Usually I don't do a door to door service but for you, I guess I could."

She walked out of the room for a brief few seconds. Suddenly red lights were flashing and shouts could be heard.

"What's happening?" Beck shouted to the nurse who had reappeared in the doorway with her back to him.

She span around quickly.

"You haven't seen Caterina since you left her room?"

"No… why?" Beck sat up suddenly.

"She's not in her room sweetheart, she's probably in the bathroom," The nurse smiled falsely and walked away swiftly from the door.

Where was Cat?

Beck suddenly felt cold with realisation. She was missing.

Jade and Robbie suddenly appeared at the door.

"What's with all the crazy alarms?" Jade raised an eyebrow. "Someone escaped from the dungeon?"

"We brought Tori to get checked out, she's a bit shaken up but she seems fine."

Jade walked over to him to get a better look at his expression.

"They took…" Robbie began frantically.

"What's wrong Beck?" Jade cut Robbie off.

Beck looked up at his girlfriend.

"Cat's left her room,"

Robbie walked over to join them. "What's the big deal? The nurse probably took her a walk."

"In the middle of the night?" Jade rolled her eyes at him.

"No," Beck spoke sharply to gain their attention. "She's alone. She's gone off alone."

…

Her dreams were strange. Complicated messes of madness, she was at the fair with Robbie. They'd bumped into Jade and Beck. They spoke about matters Cat couldn't hear. She felt like she was trapped under water again. Suddenly, they turned and began walking away from the candy coloured fair. Robbie released her hand and began walking in line with the couple in front. There was a garage door. Beck turned and smiled at Cat as he pulled it up so they could walk in. She was trapped inside a long corridor; the guys had vanished, no matter how many times she called for them to appear again, they didn't. She frantically tried all of the doors. She couldn't get out. The doors were all locked. She realised as she watched through the windows. Each one contained a different memory of her past. All of them happy, each one special to her, each one unique. She wanted to get to them, watch herself laugh and be happy. She needed to realise she was alive on the inside. She loved Robbie, she loved Jade, she loved Beck, she loved all of her friends but she couldn't stop the emptiness from taking over her. She cared about them so much yet she couldn't help her emotions.

She clambered towards the door at the end of the corridor; it appeared to the only door that was slightly ajar. She reached out to push it open however it flew backwards. A black mist appeared through it. Colouring the world in shades of black and grey, the walls began painting themselves. Words flew around her from the mist. 'Ugly', 'crazy', 'pathetic', 'talentless', 'freak', 'annoying'. They fired at her like the bullets. Although, they were physical wounds and would heal over time, these words, they were emotional pain that would tear her apart for years to come. She couldn't outrun the mist. It took over, leaving her body cold. The words buzzed at her ears. She curled up into a ball, covering her ears. She needed to escape this. She needed to make her way out of this dream world hell she'd created for herself.

But how exactly was she going to do that?


	29. Flourish

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

"How the hell can she go missing?" Jade yelled at the top of her voice. "It's a hospital, she should be safe here. I mean, she can't even walk yet."

Robbie lurked near the foot of the bed like a ghost, he was almost as pale as one, the colour had drained from his face and his skin had turned to paper.

"We should look for her," Jade nodded to herself, confirming that it was a good idea.

A nurse appeared at the door. "I heard the last idea and don't. It'll make everything worse. Just stay here and we'll tell you as soon as we locate her, she can't have gone far. Not with her stitches still in."

The nurse smiled briefly and vanished again. Jade groaned in frustration.

"I need to find her."

Beck grabbed her hand as she turned to walk in the opposite direction again from the bed.

"Jade, you need to take a deep breath. They'll find her. Okay?"

She looked at him and nodded meekly. He kissed her hand lightly.

She turned away from him, putting her back towards him. She couldn't look at him knowing that this wouldn't have happened if she'd have stayed with Cat instead of wanting to be the hero for Tori.

That was when she saw it.

She pointed to the wall. "Babe, how long has that been there?"

Beck followed her finger to the thing she was pointing to stuck on the wall.

"I don't know. I've only just noticed it."

Jade lurched towards the letter. Ripping it open and taking no care in unfolding it.

_'Duck. 3am.'_

"Duck? 3am?" Jade frowned at the paper. "What the heck does that even mean? Duck?"

Robbie checked his watch. Sure enough it was 3am exactly.

No sooner than when she had read it out had did the brick come hurtling through the window in her direction.

…

Tori had sat in silence as the doctors had bustled around her knocking into various policemen. A detective, Detective Timmons, Tori vaguely remembered her name, stood outside of the curtain speaking on the phone recalling everything Tori and André could tell them. They changed her dressings and gave her a couple of stiches above her eyebrow. Trina had decided to stay at home with some of their father's trainees who needed to guard the house so Trina saw this as a time to see if she could score some digits. Sometimes, Trina chose to ignore tragedy in the eyes of opportunity. Tori thought her sister was scared of having to face something bigger than not getting into the main cast of a play or breaking a nail five minutes after getting them manicured. However Tori wished she was more like Trina at times, not the oblivious/talentless part but to her easy going nature, the kind that allowed her to pretend the things weren't happening and that nothing had changed over the past week.

"Thank God you're safe," André muttered into Tori's hair. He had wrapped her into his arms. He wanted to keep her there so nothing like that could ever happen to her again. Wrap her in cotton wool like a precious china figurine so it wouldn't suffer any cracks or chips to its beauty.

"Can't we just forget about it?" Tori replied.

André sighed; it was prolonged and drawn out. "I don't think it works like that."

Tori groaned in annoyance.

"How did you cope? I mean, beginning shoved under the kitchen sink, how did you take that in your stride?"

Tori shrugged, her head now resting on his shoulder. "I just thought about everything but what was happening. I was so scared."

The curtain twitched to reveal a tall, 40-something-old woman in a suit and sporting a detective ID.

"Anything else you remember, Miss Vega?"

Tori shook her head. "No, can I sleep now?"

The detective paused for a moment. "Can I just ask one more question?"

"Then I can sleep?"

She nodded.

"Shoot," Tori replied absentmindedly until she realised and rolled her head back. "I need to think before I speak."

André laughed slightly at her choice of words.

The detective looked confused but she didn't ask.

"Do you think this could have any connection to the recent events that have happened to your friends?"

Tori thought for a moment.

"They took dad's… I mean Officer Vega's evidence and event report when they broke in."

"I know who you were referring to, Victoria, it's fine," The woman smiled.

"Please call me Tori; Victoria makes me think I'm in trouble."

She nodded. "As you wish, Tori, so do you think it has a connection to the two shootings?"

"Honestly, I think it does. Someone has taken over Jade's brother's place."

…

Cat wasn't dreaming anymore. She was glad. But she felt alone now as she drowned in the black silence. She didn't want to be lost in it either. She wanted to wake up and see Robbie smiling down at her. Beck and Jade waiting patiently so they could go on a double date, wait, maybe even a triple one with Tori and André. Cat felt warm with the thought. All of them together having a good time at the movies then at a small restaurant, just having fun with them to keep the sadness pushed to the back of her mind.

Then she remembered. She'd have to wake up first.

She felt the floor vibrate under her gently. Footsteps! Cat thought, rhythmic and calm footsteps.

They came closer and stopped next to her. Something prodded her side rocking her a little. She wanted to push the thing away but she couldn't.

A low sounding laugh came from the person.

Something crunched. It sounded like paper if Cat was still awake.

She wasn't even sure it was real; it could just be her imagination.

She felt the warm breath come towards her face.

The person parted her hands placed the paper under them then repositioned them over her heart.

She wanted to ask the person if they were going to help her.

She felt so helpless.

"It won't be long until the big finale," A familiar voice laughed. "Sleep tight, Cat."

She shivered on the inside. She knew this guy? Who the hell were they? She couldn't place a finger on who it was but she knew them. She knew them.

The footsteps trailed off and were replaced by running. Screams for help and running. She hoped they would help her even if Familiar Voice wouldn't.

"Get a bed, looks like she's ripped her stitches, she's unconscious. I think she'll be okay."

Cat smiled on the inside.

She was going to be okay.

Slowly, she let go of all reality she had left in her grasp and floated away.

…

"Where the hell did that come from?" Jade screamed after the last of the shattered glass had settled. She couldn't be sure she'd escaped the blast unharmed but she didn't care.

"Are you both okay?" Beck asked calmly.

Robbie nodded as he recovered from the shock. Jade didn't reply, she couldn't find the words to say she was fed up of everything happening and just wanted it to end.

She bent down and picked up the brick which had a letter tied to it with twine string.

"What's on it?" Beck asked her as she inspected it.

She picked it off, passing the brick to Robbie to hold. She opened it and began to read it expecting a full paragraph.

Instead, there were a few mere words. Ten stupid printed words.

_'So maybe you'll find the next note with dearest Caterina?'_

Jade's face flushed with anger. How dare they use her as some sort of pigeon mail carrier? They had nerve. She'd give them that. But they were sick and twisted; it was probably in her brother's job description he sent out to all the local mad men as a requirement.

"Why does my brother still have the freaking upper hand even after he's dead?" She screeched, her arms flying around in many different directions as she let out her anger and frustration.

Beck couldn't stop her after he read the note and threw the newly scrunched up ball to read. Even Robbie looked angry by it. How could they dangle Cat like bait and hope they'd take?

A commotion outside the door happened again as floods of nurses and doctors ran past.

Jade walked outside of the door, she grabbed a nurse by the arm.

"What's happening?"

"We've found Cat, she's lost a bit of blood from her stitches but she should be fine."

Jade shook her head. "What do you mean 'should be'?"

"She's weak enough without the blood loss, honey. We can't promise anything," The nurse suddenly remembered the piece of paper in her hand. She pressed it into Jade's palm. "This has your name on it."

She went off in the direction of Cat.

Leaving Jade with the letter that was promised on a brick.


	30. Hopeless Wanderer

Chapter thirty.

Jade felt the letter in her palm. She didn't want to admit to herself how genius this plan was but she couldn't help but let a little part of her admire the detail her brother had put into this. The notes were always precise and covertly put so no one ever noticed. It was fool proof. Jade couldn't help but wish she'd just let her brother get his stupid way and let him kill her there and then. This would have been over so much faster. There would be no endless days in hospital for the boy she could barely breathe without and the girl who made waking up each day worth it wouldn't have nearly died three times in the short space of a few days.

She sighed, looking up towards the ceiling. She decided she was probably best to tell Beck and Robbie about Cat… poor Robbie. Jade had completely forgotten about how he must be feeling. He hadn't even blamed Jade for what had happened, not yet anyway, that would soon show its ugly head. He hadn't done anything but blame himself for not looking after her properly. Jade wanted to shake him, tell him it wasn't his fault, he couldn't have done anything to prevent this unless somewhere amongst his nerdiness he'd discovered a time machine. That was something she'd like to see. Cat would really like having her own Doctor Who. She would be the ultimate sidekick. Jade laughed at the very thought as she walked back into the room.

"What's so funny?" Beck raised an eyebrow.

"I was just thinking about Cat and time machines," Jade smiled at them.

"Have they found her?" Robbie interjected. Jade could see his annoyance at the world and how wrong it could be glazing his eyes with the message.

"They're just going to stitch her back up again and give her some blood to replace the couple of pints she lost," Jade made it sound better than it really was. She couldn't tell him what the nurse had said. 'She's weak enough without the blood loss, honey. We can't promise anything'. The words hit the sides of her mind. She couldn't tell Robbie that.

"The nurse gave me this," She held up the crumpled note. It had slight traces of blood on it. She ignored the fact her best friend was somewhere in this place that had grown so familiar in the last few days it was increasingly becoming their second home.

Beck confirmed out loud what Robbie was thinking. "Just like they promised it would be, with Cat."

"Have you read it yet?" Robbie asked.

She shook her head and Beck gestured for her to read it out to them. Jade took it out of the envelope and unfolded it.

"_They found her then, Jadelyn? Wow, it was a good guess that she would go walking alone and pass out, wasn't it? I'm even superior in death. I suppose you have some questions. However the difference between our breathing rates prevents us from speaking face to face so I can gather what you'd want to ask. I may despise you will every fibre of my being but I am still a reasonable person. You want to know why your friends are involved, don't you Jadelyn? Well, I'll tell you. I discovered something over the years; you don't respond to physical pain with my desired reaction for you, you just deal with it. But when I hit Cat that first time, I saw something in you that I'd never seen in you before. You actually feared something. What I needed from you. Fear. You were hurt by my actions. So I thought long and hard about this plan. There was no point trying to just kill you again after the first time. I made this plan in a night, talented, aren't I?" _

Jade's voice quivered. He had planned to hurt them. Just to provoke her reaction. She couldn't read the rest; she could tell the next few lines would contain his confession. She passed it to Beck to finish as she sat with her head in her hands.

_"I knew that if I convinced you I was going to hurt Beck and Cat, you'd confess it all and let me rectify the mistake. It worked out incredibly well. They did get hurt and I had my revenge. You will never forgive yourself for what has happened and they won't either. I may be gone but this will end when I want it to, Jadelyn. It will end on my terms, not on yours. Until the next time, Jadelyn,_" Beck sighed as he crumpled the paper and tossed it on the small table on front of him.

"Maybe the police could get some DNA from it?" Robbie suggested from panic.

"Don't be an idiot, he's too clever to let that happen," Jade spoke from her hands. She didn't even bother to look up at him.

Robbie needed to express some form of anger. "You think you're so brilliant, Jade. So bloody high and mighty! You're the problem. You made all of this happen. If it wasn't for you, I could be with Cat now instead of being stuck in a room waiting and waiting and waiting until I can't help but wish that was you instead of her."

Beck just sat opened mouthed at Robbie. He couldn't believe the kind hearted boy had just said that to his already crumbling girlfriend.

Jade slowly looked up. Robbie stepped back expecting her to lash out.

"I wish it was too."

And with that she got up, wiped her eyes then walked out.

…

Tori was allowed to discharge herself and go home. Apparently going home was advisable but she couldn't. She needed to get this straight in her head. A dead guy was sending notes to Jade? How the heck was that happening? Her mind couldn't quiet wrap itself around the idea. She kept frowning to herself then realising André was watching her.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't work out why Jade didn't tell us."

"That's easy. She wanted to do something to help us all."

Tori shrugged. "I suppose."

"Come on, I'll drive you home," André put an arm around her shoulders.

"I can't, I should be here."

André shook his head. "What you need is sleep."

"I need to see what's happening. Something doesn't feel right."

"You've spent too long in this place, that's what."

Tori gave him 'the look'. "Don't give me that. I know there's something they haven't told us."

"Being who exactly?" André asked her as Tori slipped from underneath his arm and began walking towards the ward Cat and Beck were on.

She didn't turn to answer him instead she studied the sign of which wards were where. They were only a floor below. She pressed the button for the lift to come. André caught up to her.

"So what do you exactly want to achieve?"

"I need answers and so do they. We need to talk about the case going missing. Someone is either in serious money for this or is just damn right insane to break into a cop's house."

André opened his mouth to argue but what she'd said was pretty truthful.

The doors opened and there was Jade, sat on the floor in the very corner. They looked at each other and boarded.

"Are you okay?" Tori asked a stupid question but it was the basis conversations were based upon.

Jade looked up at her. "I suppose they don't inform you of much down here?"

Tori shook her head, pressing the button for the next few levels; she braced herself knowing this would take more than just a short trip up a level.

…

Tori and André had gone to defuse the tension back in Beck's room leaving Jade to wander at will.

She left her feet to decide where they were going. They took her to Cat's room; it smelt safe and warm like home. She curled up on the bed inhaling the smell of happiness and sadness all mixed into one aroma. She needed to be here when Cat came back. She needed to do something right.

Someone appeared at the door way, they tried to walk into the room unnoticed thinking Jade was asleep.

Jade looked around. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

**Ohhh, I like cliff hangers. It makes me smile to see you all react to them! Anyway. To business. I need you guys to tell me what to do. I don't know whether to round this off in about 2 chapters or to continue until they get back to the play at school and its opening night. So really, the power is in your hands! PM me or just review from here. Either way I'll get the general idea. Thank you in advance beautiful! Love, ChasingMidnight.**


	31. Fatal Mistakes

Chapter Thirty-One.

"I shouldn't have said that," Robbie sighed to himself as they followed Beck to the new room opposite to Cat's. Tori shut the door behind the nurse after she had checked everything.

"Damn right you shouldn't have," Beck replied. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

Tori shrugged in reply. "She told us she wanted to give Robbie some space."

"I didn't mean it, not whole-heartedly. I'm just so…"

"I know," Beck cut him off before he could finish. "We all are, mate."

André patted Robbie's back. "Little Red will be fine; she'll bounce back like she does every time."

"I'm not too sure this time," Beck muttered offhandedly not really thinking about the consequences instead thinking about the conversations he'd had with Cat over the past few days. She was so painfully sad.

Robbie looked up, his eyes full of the ghosts that danced there, flickering between hope and discontent.

"What do you mean, Beck?"

Beck's heart skipped a beat. Why did he have to say that out loud?

…

"I'm just doing as I was asked."

Jade moved quickly to her feet. "Who told you to do this?"

"I cannot disclose that information…"

Jade was already grabbing the scruff of his neck. "Tell me or I will be creative in the way I find out."

"HELP! HELP!" The little nerd squealed at the top of his lungs.

He was one of the geeks that made up the tech team in her play. She could recall his name but she knew who he was.

Jade shook him hard. "Why are you here? Why do you want to hurt Cat? Why do you want to hurt Beck? Me? Tori? André?"

The geek looked up at her with fear. "I…I don't…"

"How much did he pay you?"

"Who…what?"

"Answer me!" She screamed into his face.

"I'm doing a friend a favour," He whimpered. She loosened her grip.

"For who?"

He couldn't look her in the eye.

"I was visiting my grandmother so…"

"I don't need your freaking life story; just tell me who asked you to do this."

"It was…"

…

"What did you mean by your comment Beck?" Robbie questioned as he walked closer to Beck's bed.

Beck shook his head. "Nothing, I didn't mean anything by it."

"You obviously did or why would you say it?" André joined in.

"I was just thinking aloud."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "Then you still meant it even if you were just thinking it."

"Guys, believe me, I've got more painkillers in me than my bathroom cabinet so I'm not thinking straight," Beck reasoned with them, he didn't want to lie to them but he knew Cat would have wanted to protect them from the truth.

"He has a point," Tori shrugged lightly. "Hey, do you guys mind if I go get some sleep? I haven't slept in over 24 hours."

"Go ahead on my behalf," Beck smiled.

Robbie nodded. "Sweet dreams."

"I'll come with you; I could do with a couple of hours," André took her hand gently.

"I don't need a babysitter, André."

"I never said you did," He replied with his hand in the air surrendering.

Tori glared at him. "I'm pretty sure I won't get kidnapped or shot between here and the family room."

She flinched. "Bad choice of words but I don't care. I'm tired and I'm going to sleep."

Tori marched off out of the door and straight to the family room sofa not bothering to look at anything else on the way there.

"And that's why you never see Tori sleep deprived," André chuckled. "I'll catch you guys later, right."

He ran after Tori quickly sprinting down the hall calling her name repeatedly.

"Then there were two," Beck commented to fill the awkward silence.

"Tell me about Cat."

Beck frowned at Robbie. "She's female, has red hair and an unhealthy obsession with giraffes."

Robbie laughed lightly. "I mean, when she was little, before I knew her."

"Hmm, not much to tell really, she's exactly the same as she is now just older and wiser I guess."

"She told me last week that it was all an act, the air head thing."

Beck was surprised. Robbie knew more than he gave him credit for.

"She doesn't want to get hurt by the world so it's her idea of defence," Beck sighed deeply.

"Beck… she's not…"

A scream cut off Robbie's final words.

"What the heck was that?" Robbie said as he winced at the ringing in his ears.

But Beck knew that scream anywhere.

…

Cat blinked multiple times before her eyes adjusted to the bright light hanging over her.

Her throat felt dry, so very dry. Her body felt heavy like someone had replaced her limbs with lead.

"Am I in heaven?" She whispered she could barely hear herself.

Surely heaven would be less pain, tiredness, trauma than this?

A blue blob appeared again over her. It had a face this time and a funny white hat.

"No, honey, you're in hospital."

"Still?" Cat groaned.

The blob chuckled. "I know, you're becoming famous in this hospital Miss Valentine, you're nearly beating your last record in here."

Cat shook her head. "Don't remind me."

The blob smiled at her, well, Cat assumed as the line she thought was the blob's mouth widened and became filled with white bricks.

"Sleep now, love, you need to make your energy back up."

"Where are my friends?"

"On the ward still I believe, why?"

"Jade's not safe, I can feel it."

The blob shook her head laughing. "I think that's the morphine, honey, sleep tight."

…

"Where the hell I am?" Jade spoke angrily as she pulled off the blind fold and gag. Whoever had tied her hands up was not aware of her strength.

The guy turned around. Sinjin. What?

"Sinjin?"

"Hello Jade," He replied casually like they were passing in the hallway at school.

Jade stared at him. "I'm sorry but I cannot believe you designed this."

"Designed what?"

"This plan."

"I didn't. I was just roped in to ensure it went smoothly towards the end."

Jade continued to stare at him. "I don't see why you're doing it, your parents are rich so you don't need the money."

"I wasn't promised money," He turned his back to her as he was fitting something together.

"But that's the only payment my brother works in."

"Your brother? What does he have to do with anything?"

Jade frowned. "Yes…"

"I wasn't hired by your brother, isn't he like eight or something?"

"I have… never mind," She thought better than divulging information to Sinjin. "So who are you working for?"

"Why would I tell you that?" He snorted.

Jade wrapped the rope around one hand. "Oh I don't know, thought you might give a poor scared girl a break."

"You aren't six years old Jade," He turned to face her.

His fatal mistake.

Jade sprang to her feet, flying towards Sinjin so he landed into the nearest wall. Her arm rested against his throat, pressing down gradually.

"So why are you doing this?"

He coughed a little but replied as she applied more pressure. "I was promised you would be my girlfriend."

"What the heck? I'm already taken thank you very much for your unwanted concern."

"No, no. I was told you would be by the time he was done."

Jade slammed him again. "What do you mean? Tell me Sinjin."

"I can't he'll get angry, he only gets the rest of his payment if he succeeds."

"Who?"

Sinjin choked again. "I can't tell you."

"Succeed in what?"

"Destroying you once and for all," He remarked then he frowned to himself. "What does that even mean?"

**I'VE STARTED PLANNING THE SECOND STORY :D Achievement right there. I've got the main plot ready to go as soon as I'm happy with this one. So I'm going to say this will end at 38 chapters or less perhaps. I have no idea because I keep throwing random plot ideas into it. It's brilliant. My imagination is wild with dark and twisted plots! :') So yeah, tell me what you think of my work otherwise it'll never improve. ;D Much love, ChasingMidnight.**


	32. Ghosts That We Knew

Chapter Thirty-Two.

"André, are you awake?"

A gentle snore was her reply. Tori landed her head back onto the pillow.

She mimicked him whilst she stared at him from across the room. "Brilliant, I was the one that 'needed the sleep' before we got to Beck's room."

She sighed, rolling off the pillows. André's hoodie was far too big as she reached out her arm. She was amazed she was still able to function. Little sleep was never good company to the brain. Tori feel pretty spaced out, the world seemed to turn itself from side to side and everything made her feel like her head was made of balloons.

"I need breakfast…and maybe a new boyfriend," She smiled to herself knowing she didn't mean at least half the statement.

André grumbled in his sleep. "No, mom, I don't want to wake up."

Tori stifled a giggle as she approached him.

"Aw, you talk in your sleep," She said as she nudged him with her foot.

He flinched and twisted himself around so he was facing away from her.

"Wake up, I want a muffin," She groaned. "I can't sleep."

He ignored her still in his slumber.

"Fine, I'll go by myself, want anything?"

He raised a hand half-heartedly signalling her to go.

Tori rolled her eyes. Obviously someone wasn't a morning person.

She walked back over to her bag that hadn't left the room, she'd completely forgotten about taking it home, she was really glad she hadn't. She didn't really think much of it but she gave herself a little pat on the back before she remembered she wasn't alone in the room.

Her cheeks adopted a red beam as she quickly fumbled in her bag for her purse.

"I'll be back soon, okay?"

André grunted in reply.

She strolled towards the door, pushing the handle down and giving the door a tug.

Nothing.

She frowned. She couldn't have pulled it the right way. She tried again.

Nothing again.

She pulled it harder, pushed it again, frantically pushing the handle down.

Then it dawned on her.

"André, someone has locked us in here…"

Only then did her boyfriend jump up.

…

Cat lay motionless in the hospital bed. She couldn't help but wonder what the others were doing. They were probably having fun, singing songs and dancing around Beck's room. Maybe Beck would be dancing with them now. His stitches hadn't torn. She couldn't help but sulk about the fact hers had. She did want to acknowledge it was her fault either. Why couldn't she just stay where she was?

She let out a hefty sigh.

"What's wrong with you, missy?"

Cat looked at the nurse. "I want to see my friends."

"They're probably sleeping, honey."

"I just hate the silence."

The nurse chuckled. "That's because it's Intensive Care, the patients aren't really party animals."

Cat tilted her head back. "If they were here, we could brighten the place up with some music and dancing."

"I don't think that would impress the doctors much," The nurse couldn't help but agree with Cat a little.

"Then they're all miserable," Cat declared, crossing her arms.

"I guess you're feeling better then," The nurse smiled.

Cat shrugged.

"Would some ice-cream make you feel better?"

Cat looked up. "Maybe…"

The nurse winked at her and told her she would go into the kitchen unseen, causing Cat to call her Ninja Nurse.

Cat closed her eyes briefly. Really, she still felt awful. Woozy and ill. The only thing keeping her mind in the present was whatever the doctors were pumping into her.

She didn't even notice the dull sound of some approaching.

She assumed it was Ninja Nurse so didn't even bother to open her eyes.

"Leave it on the table please, my head is spinning."

A low chuckle, one she knew well, the one that had passed her in the endless dreaming.

She opened her eyes just in time to see the flash of silver slice through the cables. All of them.

Then thick, bulky hands cover her mouth and nose.

This was it.

…

Jade stepped back.

"Destroy me?"

"Yeah, I assume that means taking your special scissors away and your hair dye… Maybe to make you're safer to go on our date."

Jade kicked the leg of the table in anger. "That's not what it means, idiot."

"Then what…?"

"They aren't the most important to me, don't you understand?"

Sinjin looked bemused. "So it isn't for our date?"

"That's never going to happen!" Jade screamed in his face.

"Then what does 'destroy you' mean then?"

Jade rested her head on the wall. "It means whilst I'm here your co-workers are making sure Beck, Cat, Robbie and André never forgive me."

"You forgot to mention Tori…"

"She won't ever forgive me for getting her locked in a freaking cupboard under the sink. She's not Harry Potter; she doesn't like to sleep under the damn staircase."

Sinjin raised his hand up a little. "I don't think Harry Potter really enjoyed it either and Tori got locked under the sink…"

Jade glared at him. "Shut up, Sinjin and do something useful like telling me what the hell you're doing."

"I'm just doing the technical stuff."

"Right. Okay," It then magically occurred to Jade. "Sinjin? Do you know what this is actually for?"

Sinjin frowned at her. "I'm not completely stupid. It's a new prank show they're putting on The Slap."

Jade laughed, wow some people couldn't see some things were being taken too far for a prank show. "Oh dear Sinjin, I really do hope you're good at cards."

"How come?"

"You'll be playing a heck of a lot in prison."

Sinjin raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you're looking at life in prison, I guess a little less for good behaviour."

Sinjin stared at her. "Is this a joke?"

"Oh no, Sinjin, I would never joke about attempted murder, GBH and assisting a crime."

"You're joking…"

Jade shook her head. "Welcome to my world, Sinjin. Nothing is quite as it seems."

"This is real?" His eyes wide with worry. He paused. "I'm in your world? Wow. That is amazing. I love…"

"Well isn't this cosy?" A voice came from the back of the room. "I'm so glad you could join us, Jade!"

She was not expecting that voice.

"What the hell have we ever done to you?" Jade asked trying to retain some composure.

"Nothing really, but money talks, Jade."

…

"That was Jade, Robbie that was Jade!" Beck shouted flinging himself out of bed.

He ripped the various wires from his wrist, truly knowing how Cat felt when she did it. Ouch. Then he ripped the suckers from his chest. His heart monitor registering an error, not that he cared.

Robbie's face dropped with realisation, he ran to the source of the scream. Beck lurched forward towards the door. Horrible thoughts echoing around his head: Blood, pain, terror, loss.

Robbie had stopped dead in the centre of the room across the corridor.

"What is it?"

Beck followed Robbie's arm after realising his question wasn't in his head.

There was a small black plasma TV mounted on the wall just like every other room in this place. But this one wasn't showing meaningless television shows. This one was showing Jade tied up in some dark room. The time stamp at the bottom was blurred.

Screaming, begging, howling blue murder.

Over.

And over.

And over.

"It's on repeat, it's only a cutting of it," Robbie couldn't watch anymore after he saw it was looping.

Beck stumbled towards the screen, his fingers hovering gently over her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I love you."


	33. Whispers in the Dark

Chapter Thirty-Three.

"You're kidding, right?" André got up and tried the door for himself.

"I think I can tell the difference from an unlocked door and a locked one."

André sighed deeply. "Okay, Mrs Crabby, we'll just ring reception to let us out."

Tori folded her arms unimpressed. He looked at his sleep deprived girlfriend. Her hair was messy and her face had a trace of make-up from yesterday. But he couldn't recall a day, hour, minute, second she didn't look beautiful.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket with a big smile blooming on his lips.

"What?" Tori glared at him unintentionally.

"I was just thinking about how adorable you look right now."

Tori allowed herself to smile at the comment. She couldn't quite believe she could be so happy with just an hour's sleep in a locked room with everything else happening around them.

André sighed again, shaking his head. "No signal."

He wrapped an arm around Tori's waist. "So I was thinking we could make use of our time before some discovers us."

Tori raised an eyebrow accompanied by a mischievous glint in her eye. "Like what, Mr Harris?"

André leaned in for a kiss, brushing her lips gently then pulling away. "We could finish my project?"

She let out a groan but she couldn't ignore the happy feeling. "And here I was thinking we could just sing songs all day."

"Technically, it is singing…"

Tori nudged him. "Fine, get out the music sheets and your guitar but you owe me dinner at Maestro's next Monday."

André kissed her forehead and ran to find his guitar in the clutter of the corner of the room. Tori sat on the sofa waiting. She thought about it. This was like they were in their own world, how it could be in the future. Just them, alone. No interruptions from anyone on the outside of their little world.

This, she decided, was how she would like it forever. But then she kicked herself for being so happy. She stared up to the ceiling.

That was when she noticed, she pointed up to the corner of the ceiling.

"Hey André, is that a camera?"

…

Cat, she wasn't even sure she was still alive. She decided this was the last time she wanted to be confused about her state of mortality. She hated having to wake up and work out if she'd been taken away from life. She couldn't help but think about the nurses that knew her by name; they knew her name long before this chain of events. In fact, some had known her for years. At least 3 years.

She didn't want to open her eyes and be faced with the reality of the situation.

Until she realised she couldn't open her eyes.

And she couldn't but feel the heaviness in her chest again.

Her head was spinning in darkness and glitter like shapes.

She couldn't forget the dull ache in the back of her mind.

She couldn't help but hear the small voice in the back of her head.

The one she had fought for so long tell her something so quite she wasn't sure it was even there.

Maybe it was in the outside world.

"It's okay now, Cat, it's quiet and you can let go."

…

Robbie couldn't bear to watch Beck so broken up. Maybe he did understand how he felt about Cat, perhaps they weren't that different. Maybe Beck was manlier but he still loved Jade with more than just his heart. That was one thing they were on par for. Their love for their girlfriends, both of them fighting for something; Cat was fighting for her life whilst Jade was fighting for them.

"Beck," Robbie spoke softly as if he was speaking to a deer. One trapped in endless headlights.

He touched his shoulder to get his attention.

"Beck, we'll find her, okay?"

Beck's head rest firmly on the screen whilst he stroked the pixels that formed Jade.

Robbie knew he was listening half-heartedly to him. He knew that Beck was dying inside.

"She'll be okay, I promise."

Beck looked at him. No, not at him, deep into him.

"How can you promise me such a thing?"

"Because I know you'd do the same if it was Cat without a moment's hesitation."

He rested his eyes back on Jade. Robbie stood beholding the broken boy before him, he was lost.

Robbie finally persuaded his eyes back to the screen to watch the screaming Jade. They'd muted the sound long ago to stop the blood curdling outcry. Well, Robbie had. It wouldn't have bothered Beck as it kept replaying in his mind anyway, over and over, the banshee scream repeated in his mind.

"Beck?"

His shoulders moved for a split second to acknowledge Robbie speaking.

"The time stamp, it's not right. Someone's altered it, it's too blurry."

Beck moved away from the screen taking in the whole scene. Taking in every detail, every single little thing that could tell them something.

"The room looks familiar," Robbie said.

"The Black Box Theatre."

"What do you mean? They've taken her there?"

Beck shook his head. "No, look, she's not wearing my top. She's in all black. She was wearing a white top under it earlier. She isn't there. This isn't what we think."

"Do you know what it is?"

"Other than a distraction?" Beck slammed the wall nearly sending himself crashing to the floor. "It's Jade's project from last year, she made me film it for her. It's just a clip of it."

Robbie rolled his head back. "At least we know she's okay?"

Beck shook his head again. "Until we know where she is, I don't know she's okay."

…

"So you did all of this for a few extra dollars?" Jade felt the words like poison in her mouth.

He stood there with his back against the wall. A Rubix cube in his hands, he twisted it as he spoke.

"It was more than a couple, it was almost…"

"I don't want to know how much you've been paid to 'destroy me', thanks," Jade interrupted.

He smiled. "Never interrupt me, Jade. Never."

"I don't care anymore, you win."

"Oh no, we haven't. Not yet at least. You're not quite in understanding, are you?"

Jade frowned at him, mind games. She was never a fan of them. She played them with other people not the other way around.

"You don't quite get it. This will never end until your brother decides it."

"How can you say that?"

He chuckled, switching sides of the cube. "Easily, it's not difficult. What is the saying? Ah, yes, it's a proverb, 'Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely'."

"All this power, it's gone to your head."

Looking offended, he sighed. "I believe great people are born for this kind of thing."

"Crazy, you're actually mental."

He threw the complete Rubix cube at her; she caught it with one swift movement.

"It's all part of his plan, the bigger picture, it all slots together."

"He's dead, moron. I hope someone will be going to keep him company, he hates the dark."

He laughed. "Pull up the live feeds, Sinjin."

Sinjin, who had remained silent for the entire encounter, tapped a few keys and there was suddenly light blurring the screens that were before them.

Jade's eyes hovered over all of them; she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

Tori and André were pacing the family room, occasionally walking over to the door to attempt to open it. Jade couldn't understand why until she noticed the door wasn't opening.

Robbie and Beck were on the phone in Cat's new hospital room, desperately trying to call someone. She didn't know who but her eyes settled on Beck. She noticed his sad, hopeless expression staring at the TV. She winced and noticed it was playing the same movements on repeat.

Then she looked at Cat's. Doctors and nurses crowded the bed. She couldn't see what was happening but the stone in her stomach told her it wasn't good. There was a small machine on the side of the screen, there was something missing from it. The shock pads.

"What have you done?" Jade begged. "What have you done?"

She stumbled forward, her eyes unable to stay at one for too long hoping the outcome wouldn't be shown to her.

Not yet.

Not just yet.

She composed her words for them to come crashing out.

"You're a monster Danny."

**Urgh, sorry about the late post. I'm ill and I'm feeling really low. I didn't get the admin place I applied for so that was a kick in the teeth. I knew I wouldn't get it but still, I would have liked to have got it. So yeah. Enough of my problems really. You don't need boring with those. :') love, ChasingMidnight.**


	34. Catching Up

Chapter Thirty-Four.

**I think I may round this off soon due to low ratings and people not liking it as much I guess, like in next chapter as I want an epilogue… However I shall link to my new story in the last chapter as it will go up as soon as this one is done. :) ChasingMidnight.**

"Let them go," Jade demanded.

"Bless you, Jade, you think this is all about you," Danny smiled as he patted Jade on the shoulder.

Jade shook him off. "Don't touch me."

Danny held his hands up. "You know, this has been great fun. I'm now rich in my own right and I learnt from a great guy."

"My brother was not a great guy."

"Oh you just don't appreciate his genius, Jade."

"I can't appreciate something so evil," She replied sourly.

Danny shook his head. "I can see we're just running around in circles here. So, Sinjin, would you like to begin our finale?"

"Danny…I don't feel comfortable…" Sinjin stuttered.

"Just do it, idiot."

"Yes, boss."

Sinjin turned to the computers, his fingers hovering over the keys. He shook remarkably.

"I'm sorry, Jade."

…

"André, is it me or is it getting warmer in here?"

Tori fanned her face with her hand.

"No… It's getting colder."

"What are you talking about?" Tori sighed with a huge smile.

They had given up on singing a long time ago, both of them slowly feeling tired, sleepy and in euphoria.

"That light, it's pretty, isn't it?" André laughed, trying not to move too much.

"I feel so peaceful," Tori gushed. "Maybe we should go towards the pretty light?"

André tried to locate Tori's hand. "Yeah, let's go together."

Tori laughed quietly. She took his hand. "I like you, you're funny."

"I like you too! Hey, maybe we should go on a date sometime."

"I'd like that…" Tori trailed off as she slowly fell asleep alongside André.

…

"What are you doing to them?" Jade paced the floor. "Why aren't they moving?"

"Carbon something poisoning," Danny shook his hand like it was irrelevant.

"It's Carbon Monoxide…" Sinjin spoke barely above a whisper.

"Nobody cares, Sinjin," Danny replied sarcastically. "All I do care about is the fact it is killing them."

Jade shook her head. "No. You can't do this."

"Oh, Jade, just watch me," He winked at her leaving Jade with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Shall we begin phase two?"

…

Beck and Robbie hadn't moved from the room yet, they'd been planning their next move. Jade was somewhere in this building still, Beck could feel it within his bones.

"She's going to be fine, Beck."

"If you say that one more time, Robbie, I will…"

"You will what, Mr Oliver?"

A voice came from the door way, it was the detective that had interviewed him on the first day of hospital joy. Detective Timmons.

"Thank God you're here! Someone's got Jade!" Robbie sighed in relief.

"Where is she then?" The woman walked forward revealing 2 armed officers aiming guns at them.

"We don't know, can't you help us?" Beck pleaded with them. If she'd have asked him to get on his knees and beg; he would without hesitation if it would help Jade.

"We know you set all of this up, Mr Oliver, all you need to do is tell us why and how we can stop it."

"That's crazy, Beck had nothing to do with this…" Robbie trailed off as he eyed the barrel that was threatening his life.

"We know also about your involvement, Mr Shapiro," Detective Timmons was remaining calm as she threw around accusations like confetti at a celebration.

"No, you have it wrong," Robbie argued, he couldn't let them accuse them of such crimes.

She held up a letter. "Well why would your dear friend Caterina leave a suicide note detailing how you planned it all?"

"What?" Beck's jaw dropped. "Is she okay? Is she alive?"

Robbie had just stopped. He couldn't think about her doing that. Lying and then trying to kill herself. Not Cat, not his precious Cat.

"No, it's not true."

"She recalls how you wanted revenge on Jade for causing you all that pain and how you needed to hurt Jade so badly, no one else would want her. She writes in detail about how Robbie only started dating her so you could complete the plan but Robbie told her about it. How she couldn't live with the trauma or the guilt."

Robbie shook his head. "No, no. My Cat wouldn't do that, she wouldn't lie."

"According to her hospital records, she's been here many times before; she's not exactly a first time case." The woman read from the clipboard.

"She hasn't, don't lie to me," Robbie begged.

Beck remained silent, his face unchanged. He wasn't shocked nor was he surprised.

"Beck, tell her it's not true."

Beck bit his cheek. "I'm sorry, Robbie, she has been in here."

"What for, why?"

Beck couldn't look at him. The detective didn't even try to answer; she didn't want to completely wreck him.

"Boys, arrest them."

…

"Where are they taking them? Danny! Why are they being arrested?!"

Danny leant against the desk, throwing the Rubix cube up in the air then catching it again.

"It's sad you still don't see. I'm ruining your life."

He winked at her again.

"Sinjin, phase three if you'd be so kind."

…

"Cat…"

Cat battered her eyelids open.

"I really need to stop doing this," She croaked. Her throat was so dry.

"Why did you do that?" Ninja Nurse took her hand. "I mean, a hospital is not exactly the place to try to… you know."

"What do you mean?" Cat asked attempting to look confused.

"Honey, your parents, think about what they'd have to go through."

"I don't understand. Where did he go? He had a knife and he cut my wires."

The nurse frowned at her. "That could explain the slashes across them, you didn't do it?"

"I don't think spoons make sharp enough instruments for that kind of thing," The side that held a little bit of Jade came out.

"Now there's a girl that's up for a fight," The nurse smiled at her.

…

"Nothing…nothing bad is happening to her," Jade stumbled over her words, astonished.

"Eh, well. I felt playing Russian Roulette with her life was enough, well, your brother did," Danny spoke like him, held his body the same was as him. He was her brother's student.

"So you're done with Cat?" Jade reiterated his words.

"I guess you could say that," Danny shrugged.

Jade frowned at him. "Why did you do this Danny? What is your reason?"

Danny looked up. "Everyone thought I was pointless. That I was to blame for everything. So I decided I'd give them something to blame me for. Something that would make them see I was not so easy. When your brother spoke to me in the bar, I just couldn't resist the offer."

"I'm sorry, Danny. I'm sorry you had to resort to this to be noticed."

He ignored her and instead clapped his hands together whilst the cube was airborne. "Now, phase four, my favourite one by far."

"What's phase four?" Jade asked urgently.

Danny walked over to the door and pushed it open.

"Run, Jade, go save your friends."

"What?"

Danny smiled. "All along you've made choices. Choices about what you will do next."

"You're letting me save them…"

"But you'll have to prioritise, that's the only catch."

…

Jade ran. She ran so fast her feet barely hit the ground as she ran.

She ordered them in her mind.

Tori and André, the two that were usually last on her list had to be first. They were dying.

Beck and Robbie, her world and Cat's faced prison. How she could prove it to them was beyond her.

Cat, poor Cat. She'd received the end of most of it. But she was okay. She would be okay.

Jade smiled properly for the first time in a few days.

Everything would be okay.

**So this is nearing the end. It's nowhere as tragic as Doctor Who season finale but nothing can compete with that, ever. So yeah, tomorrow will be farewell to this lovely story and that will be 35 chapters. But as they say, as one door shuts, another opens in the form of the new story which I have yet to decide a name for. Love, ChasingMidnight.**


	35. All Stories Have An End

Chapter Thirty-Five.

_Jade kept running. Running and running. The endless corridor wouldn't stop. It wouldn't end. She wouldn't make it to anyone in time._

_Tori and André would be poisoned long before she got there; they'd be dead, their pale corpses resting peacefully as if they were sleeping._

_She found the door and undid the lock on the outside, opening the door. She shook them violently._

_"Wake up, wake up," She pleaded with them over and over._

_It was hopeless; she slammed the panic alarm and ran to convince that female detective to let Beck and Robbie go._

_She continued running until she was outside the hospital, she'd skipped 3 steps at a time, jumping the rails to save time._

_"Stop, stop!" She screamed as they tried to push Beck into the back of a police car._

_"Oh, so she is alive," Detective Timmons remarked. "You're the main witness in all of this."_

_"Look in the cellar, you'll find the guy who did it," Jade spoke breathlessly. "It wasn't them, it wasn't I swear."_

_The woman looked at her, resting on the car door. "I think this is a classic case of Stockholm syndrome."_

_The male cop that had Beck nodded. "Seems that way, Ma'am."_

_"I don't know what that is but it was all Danny," Jade argued._

_Beck shook his head. "It's too late, babe. It's too late, move on, I don't want you to be a jailbird sweetheart."_

_Jade refused to believe it. "You will not do this to me, Oliver, you can't do this to me."_

_Beck didn't look at her again as the cop shut him into the car._

_"Tell Cat I love her but she can't keep secrets," Robbie added on the end the thing that would destroy Cat all over again._

_The detective shrugged as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Looks like the end of the road, kid."_

_Jade shook her head, this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening._

_She watched the car pull away, standing there until it was no longer visible from where she was crying silently._

_She knew she had one last thing to do. _

_She needed to save someone. _

_Jade walked back into the hospital, she passed the family room where doctors were trying in vain to resuscitate Tori and André. She couldn't look. She couldn't watch. She couldn't let this be real._

_Cat was back in the room she was supposed to be in. She looked sad. Lost even. Her parents passed Jade in the corridor and gave her sorrowful smiles which didn't do anyone any favours._

_"Cat…"_

_"It's you; I thought they'd killed you."_

_Jade shrugged as she sat by Cat's bed. "I guess I'm not dead."_

_"I nearly died," Cat replied simply as she fiddled with her hands. "A whole bunch of times though."_

_"Look, Cat, I'm sorry…"_

_Cat shook her head lightly. "No, I don't want your apologises, Jade."_

_"But it's my fault."_

_"I know I wouldn't have got shot twice and nearly die four times," Cat shrugged. "Fluff happens."_

_Jade smiled slightly. "So are we okay?"_

_"I don't know, the doctor said I needed to space myself from everyone in order to recover," Cat blinked multiple times._

_"So what does that mean?"_

_Cat bit her lip. "We can't be friends any more, Jade."_

_"Cat, you can't do this, I can help you get better."_

_"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't need to get better."_

_Jade couldn't look at her._

_"Goodbye, Jade."_

_"Please Cat…"_

_She shook her head again. "Tori and André are gone, Beck and Robbie face life in prison and I don't think I'll ever get over the trauma, what is there left to live for?"_

"Babe, babe, wake up."

Jade felt herself shaking lightly, someone had her shoulders. She pulled out her special scissors from under the pillow aiming them at someone's throat.

She opened her eyes and sat up.

"Babe, you were screaming again in your sleep," Beck stroked her forehead as he plucked the scissors from her hands.

"I didn't save them; I didn't save any of you," She sobbed into Beck's chest.

Beck rocked her gently. "The same nightmare, huh?"

Jade nodded unable to force out the words.

"Jade, you know what happened," Beck soothed her. "You saved André and Tori, they were out of hospital the following weekend and they bought you those sunflowers to say thanks. You dyed them black, remember?"

Jade didn't answer; she needed the rest of the story like a small child needed their bedtime fairy tale.

"You told the police where Danny was and he's now in prison, they let Robbie and I come home straight after they'd interviewed us."

"But Cat, she killed herself…" Jade blinked away more bitter tears.

Beck shook his head.

"The note, she left a note."

"No," Beck took her head in between his hands. "Your brother wrote it hoping Cat would die, Cat's fine, in fact, she's in the next room sleeping just like Robbie."

"Where are Tori and André?" She asked panicked.

"They're at Tori's for her dad's birthday."

Jade rested her head back on his chest. "I'm sorry, I just thought…"

"You thought wrong, babe. It's all just a bad dream. It's fine. Honestly, everything is okay."

Beck stood up, gently lowering her back onto the bed.

She caught his hand. "Don't go."

"You know I can't stay in the same bed as you these days, you hit me in your nightmares," Beck chuckled. "Mom and dad thought you were using me as a punch bag."

Jade puckered, stealing Cat's trick. "Please, Beck?"

He sighed. "Fine, shove up."

They laid there for some time, just their fingers intertwined.

"Hey Oliver," Jade whispered.

"Yes West?"

"I love you."

He smiled, kissing her hand. "I love you too. It was nice of your dad to let us have the flat for the week."

"I think it was more to do with Cat and Robbie sleeping over. Cat's mom was on the verge of a breakdown with all three of them there," Jade replied with a playful smile. "I haven't heard any crying for a while."

Suddenly an all mighty outburst of crying echoed along the corridor.

"You spoke too soon," Beck winked at her. "I suppose I better go check on it."

"Don't call that! Her name is Amelia," Jade crossed her arms, unimpressed.

Beck stood up. "Look at you getting all attached to the baby. Babe, you do realise it's electronic."

"Yeah, I know," She replied frowning. "If it's Cat and Robbie's, I suggest you tell Robbie."

"I thought it was Cat's night to do…whatever they've called theirs."

"She's called it…" Jade switched on the bedside lamp and pulled a piece of paper out of the drawer. Now the room was infused with light, Beck's makeshift mattress was in full sight. Jade sighed at the sight. "I told you if you didn't make it properly then you should sleep next to me."

"I wanted you to be refreshed for tomorrow, so come on tell me what the baby is called so Cat won't shout at me for not remembering my temporary niece's name."

"She's called it Princess Sparkle Rosebeam Rainbow Red Velvet Sunshine Bibble Shapiro, or just Jasmine for short. If that is any suggestion of what they're going to call their future kid, God help them when they have to learn to spell it."

Beck laughed at Jade. "I really do love you."

"You better, now go see which baby is crying, why did Cat sign us all up for parenting classes?"

"She thought it was child care as in a club not an actual class," Beck smiled. "Now you go back to sleep, you need it for opening night."

"I hope Vega is having just as much fun with their doll," Jade said as she laid back down, turning the lamp off as she went.

…

"Right, is everyone ready for act 2?" Sikowitz clapped. "The first half was just brilliant, guys, now where are my coconuts?"

Jade sighed, crossing her arms. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"Other than it's been a long couple of months, it took me a full week to convince the school to let you put the production on after what has happened but I'm glad you're all back."

Jade smiled at him. "That was better; the coconuts are in the box next to your seat."

He walked off excited about his treat.

Cat sighed dramatically.

"What's wrong, Cat?" Robbie asked, taking her hand.

"I don't know if I want this to end."

"It's only opening night, Kitten, we have the rest of the week's shows to do," Beck frowned.

Cat still looked sad. "It's still going to end."

"Things end, it's how things work in life but new things happen," André said as he battled to turn his guitar.

"Has Tori got any wise words for us being as everyone else has said something?" Jade replied sarcastically.

Cat laughed. "Oh Jadey, you're funny."

"Come on, time for Act Two," Jade smiled at Beck. "Ready?"

…

"I think we deserve some sushi," Tori announced as they all met up after the show.

"I agree," André smiled at her as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Is Nozu even open at this time of night?" Jade stared at her watch.

Cat nodded taking Robbie's hand. "Can we share some soup?"

"Of course we can," He replied, kissing her lightly on the lips.

"Are you two going to come with us?" Cat asked.

Jade was about to reply yes when Beck shook his head. "Not tonight, Kitten, I have something else planned for her."

Beck winked at Cat and suddenly she realised.

"Oh! Right, come on guys, I need some fish goodness," Cat spoke in a fake overly enthusiastic voice. They began to walk away leaving the pair stood in the car park.

They could still hear Cat trying to avert their attention from them.

"Hey guys, you know sushi? It's cooked right?"

"No, Cat its raw fish…" André replied.

"But it's still cooked…right Robbie?"

"If you say so, Cat," Robbie replied laughing. "I love you."

"Why are you laughing? What's so funny?" Cat said astonished and unaware it was her blonde questions making them laugh. "I love you too."

"Every time," They could hear André mumbling. "Every time I think she's going to make sense but no joy."

They couldn't hear them after that so Beck slipped his arms around Jade.

"Why can't we go for sushi?" Jade asked him, poking his cheek.

"It's our three year anniversary today, we deserve some alone time."

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"We're not wasting two years on some silly arguments, therefore we're going to keep counting from the very beginning," Beck reasoned.

"So what do you have planned?"

Beck lead her over to his truck, it was already playing Jade's favourite song. At the back of the truck, there was a picnic blanket covered with candles and food.

"We're going to eat my mom's cooking, talk about everything, watch the stars and dance because I missed going to Tori's Prome with you…"

She interrupted Beck with a kiss. "This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me."

He smiled at her. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Jade looked up at him, her face breaking out into a sarcastic smile. "I know I am."

"Why did you call the play 'Stay with Me'?"

Jade shrugged.

"Come on, tell me the reason," Beck pleaded. "Please?"

She sighed. "It was the first words you ever spoke to me, at Cat's party, she wanted to play hide and seek but you didn't want to hide alone."

"You remember that?"

"How could I forget? It's not something I could forget."

"You fell in love with me then, didn't you?" Beck teased her.

Jade glared at him. "That's not funny."

"But it's true."

"Maybe," Jade admitted, it was barely audible.

Beck smiled at her. "I fell in love with you there and then too."

"Really?"

"It's not that hard to believe Jade, surely."

Jade shrugged. "Who would love me?"

"I do and I promise the last words I'll ever speak to you will be…"

Jade smiled and cut him off again with a kiss.

"Stay with me."

**Happy endings all round! Yay!  
Sigh, I'm really sad this has ended. I've been writing it for over a month, it's kind of made me become attached to it but hey, as the gang told Cat, all good things must come to an end.  
Anyway, one story ends, another starts. This is the link to my new story Where Are You Now?**

s/8569592/1/Where-Are-You-Now**  
I hope you enjoy this one just as much :) –ChasingMidnight.**


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